News

News

Man found dead in car in parking lot

A man was found deceased in a car in the Fan Club parking lot on the morning of July 19. Police Chief Walter Correia said that the incident is still under investigation, but the man’s death is not believed to be suspicious.

Onset Bay Center collaborates with schools, after-school clubs

The Onset Bay Center is buzzing this summer with a full slate of programming, including everything from sailing lessons to oyster growing to water safety for families. And many of those programs are in collaboration with organizations around town...

Splashy reopening at Water Wizz

The water is running, the lazy river tubes are inflated and the park bustles with guests on sunny days. Water Wizz is back. On June 19, Water Wizz reopened its doors to customers after being closed for the summer of 2020 due to the coronavirus...

Onset synagogue plans to replace windows after vandalism this spring

Approximately six windows at the synagogue in Onset were broken in a suspected act of vandalism sometime in March or April, according to Eli Hauser of the Beth Israel of Onset synagogue. There was no indication that the vandalism was directed at the...

Onset Beach Sandcastle Day with ‘Mr. Sandman’ features sand art, smiles

For Rodney Johnson — perhaps better known as Mr. Sandman — sand art and sandcastles are a way to spread joy. On Saturday, July 17, Johnson and Kat Jones from the Onset Bay Association set up at Onset Beach for the association’s Sandcastle Day, an...

Covid cases on the rise as vaccination rate remains stagnant

After two weeks without any new cases of covid-19 and one new case last week , the number of cases in Wareham has jumped. There have been eight new cases of covid-19 over the past week, according to data from the state’s July 15 Weekly Public Health...

Wareham housing developments will receive state, federal aid

Two housing developments in Wareham — the 93-unit housing complex at Littleton Drive and the 150-unit Woodland Cove housing development at the intersection of Red Brook Road and Cranberry Highway — will receive federal and state tax credits and...

Wareham makes top 10, could win millions in national T-Mobile contest

Wareham is one of ten finalists for T-Mobile’s Hometown Techover sweepstakes — and the town could win big, with the prize valued at $3 million. The ten finalists were chosen from roughly 3,000 entries, and each finalist will receive a $50,000 grant...

Business owner will fund drone video of Onset Village

Tim Fay — co-founder of Stonestreet Corporation, the Rhode Island-based development company that bought the Bay Pointe Club in 2012 — will fund the town’s drone video of Onset Village, Town Planner Ken Buckland announced during the Wareham...

Learn baby sign language from a series of virtual classes

Sheryl White of Baby Kneads , in cooperation with the Wareham Free Library, will be offering a four-week virtual workshop series for parents and caregivers to learn the fundamentals of baby sign language. The virtual classes will be held via Zoom on...

Self-storage proposed for West Wareham

A 60,000-square-foot self-storage facility is planned for the site of the old pharmacy at 2400 Cranberry Highway in West Wareham. The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a use variance for the project at its July 14 meeting, pending the approval of a...

Harris Provisions: built on community support, local partnerships

Nestled in the small but bright and decorated alleyway between the Post Office and Riptide Tattoo on Onset Avenue, a new entrepreneur, Will Harris, has opened a business where locals can pick up coffee and grab a bite to eat. He said his business...

Patrick Marshall tapped to be new library director

The Wareham Free Library will soon have a new director — Patrick Marshall, who grew up in Wareham and started his career at the library’s old location on High Street. During the Select Board meeting on July 13, Marshall recalled spending time boxing...

Solar Bylaw Study Committee established

During a July 13 meeting, the Select Board unanimously voted to create a Solar Bylaw Study Committee. The committee will work to update the town’s existing solar bylaws — a task many residents have said the town should undertake, given the...

South coast black bear ‘Boo Boo’ killed in van crash

MARION — Boo Boo, the beloved black bear that had been spotted in South Wareham as recently as late June, died from its injuries after being struck by a van on I-195 two weeks ago, according to Bear Biologist Dave Wattles of Massachusetts Division...

Bioblitz at two conservation areas

The Wareham Land Trust is hosting a BioBlitz at the Douglas S. Westgate and Fearing Hill Conservation Areas on Saturday, July 17. The goal of the event is to understand the biodiversity in the conservation areas by observing as many organisms as...

‘Thermometer Museum’ proprietor’s family reunited with his dog tags

The family of the late Richard Porter, a veteran and the proprietor of the now-closed “World’s Only Thermometer Museum” in Onset, has been reunited with Porter’s long-lost dog tags. A man named John found the tag in the sand on Little Harbor Beach...

Rally planned to support the environment, stop solar development

Environmental activists are planning a statewide rally calling for a moratorium on large-scale solar projects with the goal of protecting forests and the water supply. The event, to be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on July 31 at the Onset VFW and...

Tropical Storm Elsa whirls through Wareham

Tropical Storm Elsa drenched Wareham on Friday, July 9, but beyond leaves strewn across roadways and some power outages in the area, the damage was fairly minimal. According to the Department of Natural Resources, the storm led to several boats...

One new covid case in town this week

Over the past week, there has been one new covid-19 case in Wareham. The case is the first after two weeks with no new cases. While only 47 percent of Wareham residents are currently vaccinated, there’s a new incentive to encourage more to get the...

Solar over cranberry bogs questioned by Conservation Commission

The solar farm proposed to operate over active cranberry bogs on North Carver Road was questioned by conservation commissioner Dave Pichette and members of the public at the July 7 Conservation Commission meeting. BE RE LLC’s proposal has already...

Wareham Democrats to select delegates for state convention

The Wareham Democrats will hold a virtual caucus on Saturday, July 10, from 9:45 a.m. to noon to select delegates and alternates to attend the state convention this fall. Delegates at the statewide convention, to be held September 25 at the Tsongas...

Commuter Rail could come to Wareham ‘at any time’

Commuter Rail service from Wareham to Boston could begin as soon as the proper authorities give the green light, according to Selectman Alan Slavin, who has been working on bringing the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Commuter Rail to...

Dog park art and literary contest

The Dog Park Affiliation of Wareham is once again hosting its “Unleash the PAWSibilities” youth art and literary contest. This year, the contest’s theme is “Animals, Our Covid Companions Year 2.” Children can focus on the pets and wildlife that...

Beach wheelchairs available to borrow at the Onset Pier

Spending time on Onset Beach is an essential part of summer for many in Wareham. But for those who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids, traversing the sand can be nearly impossible. Luckily, the Harbormaster’s office on the Onset Pier has two...

New members sought for town committees

There are a number of positions open on Wareham’s boards and committees, both for full-time and associate members. Bike Path Committee Board of Health Cemetery Commissioners Conservation Commission Council on Aging Historic District Committee...

Ethier reflects on career in public health

After nearly 19 years of service to the town of Wareham, Bob Ethier, director of public health, is leaving his post — though he has no plans to leave the town rudderless. Ethier said he was first hired as a health agent, and worked his way up to...

47% of Wareham residents are fully vaxxed – and could win big

For the second week in a row, Wareham saw no new cases of covid-19 in the past week, according to data from the state’s July 1 Weekly Public Health Report. While only 47 percent of Wareham residents are fully vaccinated, there’s a new incentive to...

Lucky night for Lucky Goat: Brewery approved to hand out free samples

Lucky Goat, a brewery at 379 Main Street, received permission from the Select Board on July 1 to serve samples to customers. Lucky Goat is still in the process of opening its taproom, but it began selling its first IPA on April 30. Owners Caitlin...

One step closer to ‘Doobie’ delivery: Host community agreements approved by Select Board

The Select Board voted at its July 1 meeting to approve three host community agreements with DB Delivery MA for marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, and delivery. The company, which will do business as Doobie, is owned by Wareham natives Ericca and...

No Onset fireworks this Independence Day

The Onset Bay Association will not host its fireworks display this year. The event had to be canceled in part because the pandemic meant the group couldn’t hold many of its usual fundraisers, and in part because the town’s staffing levels are low,...

Trey Strong Organization collecting school supplies for kids

Each year, the Trey Strong organization collects school supplies to make sure students have what they need to succeed. The organization honors the memory of Trey Miranda, a 17-year-old student-athlete who passed away due to brain cancer in 2016...

Wareham Gatemen to host a movie night

The Wareham Gatemen will be hosting a free movie night at Spillane Field at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 22, with a rain date on July 29. Using their new video scoreboard, the Gatemen will screen “The Sandlot,” a PG-rated movie about a neighborhood...

The vanishing monarch butterfly

Reader George B. Emmons of Fairhaven contributes occasional essays about the wildlife of Wareham. The monarch butterfly population has been declining for decades. The tragic loss of this colorful species, lovingly known as “mother nature’s...

Fearing Hill Road solar plans draw criticism

A 20-acre solar array proposed for Fearing Hill Road drew extensive criticism from the public at the June 28 Planning Board meeting. The project, to be located at 91 and 101 Fearing Hill Rd., would be located on a 44 acre site. Joe Shanahan,...

Puff-ing in to say hi: Cute fish makes appearance at Onset Pier

Beneath the waves of Onset Bay, mysterious creatures lurk in the deep… and occasionally show their seemingly smiling faces above the surface. The Wareham Department of Natural Resources shared photos on Friday of a Northern Puffer that was caught...

‘It’s critical:’ Town sewer department is severely understaffed

The town’s sewer department is severely understaffed, and although the problem isn’t necessarily new, Director of Water Pollution Control Guy Campinha said the low staffing levels are cause for concern. During a June 24 Sewer Commission meeting,...

American Legion annual flea market to be held on August 14

Wareham American Legion Post 220 will be sponsoring its 42nd annual flea market on August 14. The market will be held at the post headquarters at 777 Main Street (at the corner of Main Street and Tobey Road) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Indoor and outdoor...

No new cases of covid-19 recorded in the past week

For the first time since early September 2020, Wareham saw no new cases of covid-19 in the past week, according to data from the state’s June 24 Weekly Public Health Report. Wareham remains categorized “gray” in the state’s covid-19 risk reporting...

‘Be Well Wareham’ wellness walk at the YMCA

On Saturday, June 26 at 8:30 a.m. Dr. Ashwini Sahni, a cardiologist who works for Southcoast Health, will be leading a health and wellness walk at the Gleason Family YMCA. The walk will be followed by chair yoga, meditation and nutrition. The event...

Sewer capacity commitments approved for Littleton Drive, Settler’s Glen

Although members of the sewer commission were not ready to “open the floodgates” and guarantee that sewer capacity commitments would be available for any number of future developments in town, the commission approved gallonage six projects in the...

New Onset Fire Station set for completion next week, move-in later this summer

The new Onset Fire Station, located at 8 Sand Pond Rd. behind the old Salvation Army, is nearly complete. Project Manager Joe Sullivan said at the June 24 Prudential Committee meeting that the building would likely be deemed substantially complete...

New funding options considered for community amenities at Littleton Drive

After voters denied an $830,000 Community Preservation funds grant for the affordable housing development at Littleton Drive, the Wareham Redevelopment Authority is considering alternate ways to obtain funding. The town-provided funding won’t impact...

Redevelopment Authority rethinks community outreach strategy

The Wareham Redevelopment Authority is rethinking its approach to communicating with residents about upcoming projects, and the board might soon have a new ally in its efforts: Tricia Wurts. Wurts ran a late-stage write-in campaign to become a...

Council on Aging plans July activities

The Council on Aging Senior Center is still closed, but a variety of outdoor and indoor activities are planned. The Center hopes to resume full operations in the near future. On July 13 at 9 a.m., learn to shellfish at the Onset Bay Center. The...

Eye in the sky: Onset drone video in the works

Residents who’ve visited the town’s Discover Wareham site might remember watching the drone video filmed of downtown Wareham and the waterfront. Now, the town hopes to create a similar video of Onset Village. The video would be filmed using a drone...

Zoning Board of Appeals signs off on cannabis testing at Smithers Lab

On June 23, the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a special permit to allow the Smithers Lab at 790 Main Street to add cannabis testing to its laboratory services. Town Meeting voted to allow the lab to test cannabis despite its close...

Onset Beautification Fundraiser

Trevor’s at 144 Onset Ave. will be hosting an Onset Beautification fundraiser at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 17. The event will include raffles and a silent auction. Food will be provided by the Italian Market Cafe. For more information, email...

Donations stack up: Library funded for another year

With a handful of days left in the fiscal year, the annual effort to “bridge the gap” in the Wareham Free Library’s budget has met and surpassed its fundraising goal for 2021. Liz Wiley, president of the Wareham Library Foundation, reported that a...

‘Boo Boo’ the Bear spotted in Wareham

A black bear believed to be the same bear affectionately nicknamed “Boo Boo” by several nearby police departments has made an appearance in South Wareham, according to a Wareham Department of Natural Resources Facebook post . The department...

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