News

News

Slow decrease in weekly covid-19 case totals continues

The town continued its downward trend in weekly total cases of covid-19, according to the state’s Feb. 4 Weekly Public Health Report . There were 62 new cases reported in the past week, down from 70 new cases reported the week before . Wareham’s...

Conservation activists, Herring Pond Wampanoag president speak out against solar farm

Activists from several conservation groups and the President of the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe spoke out against a proposed solar project, saying it would cause irreversible damage to the environment. At the Feb. 3 Conservation Commission meeting...

Town works toward opening covid vaccine drive-thru

Wareham’s health officials are working to set up a town vaccination clinic. But the supply of vaccines is slim, and the town will likely only be able to access a limited number of doses -- 100 doses per week. “We’re still trying to get qualified,”...

Cannabis manufacturer cleared to negotiate lease, host community agreement

Aspen Blue Cultures is now one step closer to securing a host community agreement and lease to use the steel building on the Tremont Nail Factory property to manufacture and package a variety of cannabis products. The Board of Selectmen voted Feb. 2...

Outrage over trash plan prompts town to reevaluate

Facing an onslaught of calls, backlash online and several members of the public who voiced frustrations at the Feb. 2 Board of Selectmen’s Meeting, the town will reevaluate its new trash plan to see if the cost can be reduced for some individuals...

Covid-19 vaccination site to open in Wareham

This story has been updated to reflect that the clinic will now open Wednesday, Feb. 10. The story was also updated to clarify the procedure for signing up to receive a vaccine through Southcoast Health. A long-awaited covid-19...

Spring Town Meeting dates set

The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to establish that the annual spring Town Meeting will be held on April 26. The location for that meeting is still unknown, however, as covid-19 safety requirements must be considered. The town must post...

Wareham residents may see temporary discolored water

Residents within the Wareham Water District may see temporary water discoloration over the next month due to a construction project, the department reported on Feb. 2. Beginning on Feb. 3, crews will be working to replace the earthen dam in Maple...

Wareham man joins board of directors at NEADS World Class Service Dogs

Geoffrey Worrell, a Wareham resident, has joined the Board of Directors for NEADS: World Class Service Dogs. NEADS, a nonprofit, trains service dogs to work with people with a wide variety of needs and to serve as therapy dogs in settings like...

Proposed hospitality district now a fraction of the size

Despite dramatically shrinking the size of a proposed “Hospitality, Recreation, and Entertainment District” along Glen Charlie Road, representatives of the Quincy developer who proposed it faced sharp questions and criticism at a public hearing on...

Wareham conducts Point-in-Time count of homeless population

While many people cursed Tuesday’s wintry weather, one group of residents viewed the snow that blanketed the town by Wednesday evening as a small stroke of luck. Snow makes it easier to see footprints, which proves helpful for the volunteers who...

Program providing boxed meals for Wareham kids launches at YMCA

Another free meal distribution program to combat food insecurity in Wareham and surrounding communities has launched at the Gleason Family YMCA. The program was created in coordination with the Shah Family Foundation and the Greater Boston YMCA,...

Wareham sees 70 covid-19 cases in past week

Wareham saw 70 new cases of covid-19 in the past week, according to the state’s Jan. 28 Weekly Public Health Report . The weekly total is down from last week’s 86 new cases, indicating that the post-holiday surge in cases is finally slowing. Wareham...

Eagle Scout hopeful makes large donation to Turning Point

One Wareham teenager is helping the homeless during the recent economic downturn. Jared Forrest, a 17-year-old working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, dropped off a carload of donations to Turning Point, a resource center for the town’s homeless or...

Intertown sewer system could reduce pollution

A proposed regional sewer and wastewater treatment solution, in which Wareham’s sewer plant would treat waste from Bourne, Wareham, Plymouth, Marion and Mass Maritime Academy before releasing cleaned, treated water at an outfall pipe owned by Mass...

Town officials ask those displeased with new trash program to be patient

Although the town’s website for trash services is now up and running and the pay-as-you-throw transfer station trash bags are being sold around town, some Wareham residents remain displeased with the new trash arrangement. Town Administrator Derek...

Ballot begins to shape up for town election, selectman’s seat contested

Nomination papers are now available for the upcoming Town Election, and a race for a seat on the Board of Selectmen is on the horizon. The Town Election will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4. Board of Selectmen Alan Slavin,...

Council on Aging plans pandemic-safe programs

Although the Wareham Council on Aging remains closed because of COVID-19, a variety of outreach programs and appointments are available. February Garden Therapy do-it-yourself kits, created and donated by the Wareham Garden Club, will be available...

Vaccines a welcome relief at All American Assisted Living

The residents and staff at All American Assisted Living received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Friday, Jan. 22, and for many, it was a real relief. “I could turn purple for a couple days and I’d still get the vaccine,” said Kara...

Funding helps Wareham oyster growers supply seafood to people in need

When restaurants closed due to coronavirus restrictions, Wareham’s seven oyster growers found themselves — along with so many others — in a precarious position. Oyster sales decreased sharply, leaving growers with an abundance of oysters in a time...

Former Police Officer, Selectman Damata passes due to covid

Former Wareham Police Officer and Selectman Dennis Damata died from coronavirus complications on Jan. 19. Damata served as a member of the Wareham Police Department from 1985 until 2010, and worked as a special police officer after his retirement...

Wareham surpasses 1,000 covid cases since start of pandemic

Wareham has seen a total of 86 new cases of covid-19 in town over the past week, according to the state’s Jan. 21 Weekly Public Health Report . In total, since the start of the pandemic, there have been 1,066 coronavirus cases in Wareham. Wareham’s...

Decas School not feasible as senior housing, board says

It would not be feasible — or economically advantageous — to repurpose John W. Decas Elementary School as affordable housing for Wareham’s seniors, according to analysis conducted by Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District...

Transfer station stickers now sold in-person at Municipal Maintenance

Transfer station stickers are now being sold in-person at the town Municipal Maintenance building at 95 Charge Pond Road. The stickers are available at the maintenance building Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Town Administrator Derek...

Littleton Drive apartment complex approved by Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of Appeals approved the 93-unit Littleton Drive housing complex at its Jan. 13 meeting. The development has yet to be approved by the Conservation Commission, which will be discussing it at the board’s Jan. 20 meeting. And it’s...

Free spay/neuter services for Wareham pit bulls

Cape Cod’s MSPCA is offering free spay/neuter services to pit bull owners in Wareham, New Bedford, Hyannis and Mashpee, now through February. Special funding from the Massachusetts Animal Coalition has made the free services possible. Those who...

Wareham first responders receive covid vaccine in Marion

Hundreds of first responders - including Wareham and Onset Firefighters, Wareham Police, and Wareham EMS - have received the first round of the covid vaccine, thanks to a clinic at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center in Marion. The drive-...

New Onset Fire Station only several months from completion

Construction on the new Onset Fire Station is continuing, and the building is quickly taking shape, reported David Halberstadt at the Prudential Committee’s Jan. 14 meeting. The exterior paneling will be complete in about two and a half weeks, and...

Town’s limited sewer capacity will likely slow Littleton Drive development

The town’s severely limited sewer capacity and moratorium on issuing capacity commitments will likely put the 93-unit housing complex at Littleton Drive behind schedule. When the Sewer Commission reviewed developer Pennrose’s request for sewer...

Town sees more than 100 new covid-19 cases in past week

The number of new covid-19 cases in town is a triple-digit figure once again. In the past week, 108 new cases have been reported, according to the state’s Jan. 14 report . The Jan. 14 report marks exactly two weeks since New Year’s Eve, when...

Town can hire emergency staffing, Sewer Commissioners say

The town will continue to be able to hire additional licensed operators to staff Wareham Sewer Department facilities as needed, following the Sewer Commission’s 3-0 approval of an emergency staffing proposal during its Jan. 14 meeting. “As covid...

High school AV Club’s morning show evolves into live news show

When AV Club members at Wareham High School learned they would be unable to film their weekly show in their school studio due to pandemic restrictions, it’s unlikely anyone expected the students would turn their online-only Morning Show into a live...

Selectmen discuss marijuana businesses

The Board of Selectmen expressed concerns about the many inactive marijuana business licenses in town at their Jan. 12 meeting. The board voted to open host community negotiations with Trava, Inc., a proposed marijuana grower and manufacturer hoping...

Transfer station stickers now available online

Residents can now order transfer station stickers or opt out of curbside pick-up online. Transfer station stickers cost $125 for the first vehicle and $60 for an additional vehicle. Carver residents may purchase stickers for $140 for the first...

Buzzards Bay Coalition awarded $15,000 to repair Wickets Island pier

The Buzzards Bay Coalition was awarded a $15,000 state grant to repair a stone pier on Wickets Island in Onset Bay. The Baker-Polito administration announced that the Buzzard Bay Coalition’s grant was among a series of grants awarded to “improve...

Building Commissioner ‘couldn’t be happier’ to return to Wareham position

David Riquinha returned to his role as Wareham Building Commissioner in November 2020, after about a year and a half as Dartmouth Building Commissioner. Prior to leaving for the position in Dartmouth, Riquinha had worked in Wareham for about two and...

Affordable Housing Trust hopes town will consider housing at Decas School

The members of the Affordable Housing Trust agreed that housing should be considered as one of the options for the future of the Decas School. Housing Trust member Sandy Slavin said she was disappointed to see that housing was not one of the uses...

Developers share adjusted Littleton Drive housing complex plans

Plans for the proposed 93-unit housing development at Littleton Drive continue to evolve following input from locals and town officials, according to Charlie Adams, the regional vice president of the developer Pennrose. Most notably, the plans now...

Adopt a Vet goes virtual

Veterans can record their stories for future generations through the Adopt a Vet Program. The program is completely free, and interviews are being recorded remotely for safety reasons during the pandemic. For nearly ten years, William R. (Bob) C...

Winter Mindfulness Walks with Wareham Land Trust

The Wareham Land Trust is hosting a series of winter mindfulness walks. Those who attend the walks will “learn practices to reconnect with nature” and how to “remove yourself from the stresses of everyday life,” according to a press release. The...

Five former St. Patrick’s priests accused of abuse

Five priests who served at St. Patrick’s Church in Wareham have been accused of sexual abuse, according to a list of 75 accused clergy published on Jan. 7 by the diocese of Fall River. It is unclear when or for how long these priests worked in...

Covid cases on the rise

The spread of coronavirus in Wareham is once again on the rise, with a total of 93 new cases in town over the past week, according to the state’s Jan. 7 report. Wareham’s average daily incidence rate increased to 45.8 cases per 100,000 people in the...

Could limited sewer capacity hinder Littleton Drive development?

Wareham’s limited sewer capacity could be a hurdle developer Pennrose might face when constructing its proposed 93-unit housing complex at Littleton Drive, according to discussion at a Jan. 7 Wareham Redevelopment Authority meeting. In October 2020...

Eight seats to be on ballot for Town Election

Eight positions will be up for votes at the annual town election on May 4 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The positions that are open are one three-year Selectmen’s seat, two three-year assessors positions, two three-year school committee positions, one three...

Selectmen approve agreement with marijuana manufacturer

The Board of Selectman voted on Tuesday night to approve a Host Community Agreement with Beachgrass Topicals, a marijuana manufacturer planning to open in town. BeachGrass Topicals’ proposed facility would be located at 3103 Cranberry Highway, in...

Town sees spike in covid cases

The town is seeing a spike in coronavirus cases, Town Administrator Derek Sullivan reported at the January 5 Board of Selectman’s meeting. Over the past two weeks, Sullivan said, there have been 155 new confirmed covid cases. There have been 92 new...

Selectman nix request for second special Town Meeting this spring

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday night denied the request for a second special Town Meeting before the planned April Town Meeting. Because all non-financial articles from the previous two Town Meetings have been pushed off, some of those...

Covid vaccine to be available for first responders next week

Firefighters, emergency medical services, and police officers in Wareham are set to begin receiving the coronavirus vaccine on Monday. Wareham officials are collaborating with those from Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester to distribute about 400...

Selectmen give positive report on transfer station, bag sales

The Rte. 28 Transfer Station reopened under Wareham’s management on Jan. 5, as town trash bags became available at Shaw’s (127 Marion Rd.) and the Onset Village Market (231 Onset Ave.). Bags will be for sale at Municipal Maintenance, 95 Charge Pond...

New elementary school construction is weeks ahead of schedule

The elementary school being built on Minot Avenue is almost eight weeks ahead of schedule, according to Mark Adrean, one of the project leads from PMA consultants. “We’re going to try to hang onto that lead as long as we can,” Adrean said. During a...

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