The South Coast Insider - June 2020

JUNE 2020

Vol. 24 / No. 6

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michaelwhull.com South I N S I D E RThe C A L L 5Coast 0 8 . 6Insider 7 7 . 3 0| 0June 0

2020

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CONTENTS

JUNE 2020

IN EVERY ISSUE

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From the publisher

COVER STORY

8

Hospitals stepping up

by Ann Katzenbach

10

Local governments respond

By Michael J. DeCicco

16

6 BUSINESS BUZZ

6

Growing local

by Steven Froias

18 THINGS TO DO

12

16 ON THE COVER The weather has never been better, so enjoy it!

We’re surrounded by one-of-a-kind trials and nature walks, like those at the Lloyd Center in Dartmouth. Turn to page 16 or learn more at Lloydcenter.com

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June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

Live from your living room

by Sean McCarthy

Hike your troubles away

by Paul Kandarian

18

Gardens of earthly delight

by Elizabeth Morse Read

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

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few months of social distancing and staying at home, it almost feels like we’re already in the new normal, as people and businesses have quickly found ways to adapt to the challenges presented

by COVID-19.

For instance, on page 6, Steven Froias shows us how local farmers are getting their crops straight to their customers’ doors. So if you’re afraid of missing out on your favorite local farmers’ market, fear not! Fresh produce, all-natural meat, all your other favorites are just a click away.

There’s nothing like live music, but if you have a decent set of speakers or headphones, all you’ll need to do is close your eyes to get that experience.

On page 12, Sean McCarthy writes about how some local musicians have taken the performances online, still before live audiences, but while still respecting the tenets of social distancing. If you find yourself at home staving off the COVID blues, go support these artists! They’re working to make this all a little more bearable.

This magazine has had to adapt, too. With the path to recovery requiring daily updates, we are unable to publish our usual listing of local events and news. But don’t worry – you can still go to our website, coastalmags.com, where you can see the newest updates (and post your own!).

However you choose to spend the time – be it by gardening, reading, hiking, working, exercising, cooking, watching tv, listening to music, or some combination thereof – never forget the community you’re a part of.

The South Coast remains so long as we remain active members of it. Stay active, and stay safe.

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June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

Ljiljana Vasiljevic Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

June 2020 | Vol. 24 | No. 6

Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic Editor Sebastian Clarkin Online Editor Paul Letendre Contributors Michael J. DeCicco, Steven Froias, Paul Kandarian, Ann Katzenbach, Tom Lopes, Sean McCarthy, Elizabeth Morse Read The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area and is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay. All contents copyright ©2020 Coastal Communications Corp.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.

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The South Coast Insider | June 2020

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BUSINESS BUZZ

The virtual New Bedford Farmers Market is open from Saturday to Monday, with deliveries on Wednesday.

Check it out with the Source What’s Good app.

Growing Local

By Steven Froias

For many, it was a welcome thunderbolt out of the blue heavens.

A

few weeks after shutting down their weekly Farmers Market at the Unitarian Church in downtown New Bedford due to the coronavirus crisis, Coastal Foodshed, the organization behind the market, released the stunning news that they would commence home delivery of locally grown goodness.

As worries about the nation’s food supply grew during the awful weeks of April, the online announcement wasn’t just a bit of relief from a cascade of bad news.

It seemed to signify something deeper: that, at least on a local level, the unfolding catastrophe was being addressed in a meaningful way by people with (pardon the pun) roots in the community.

Coastal Foodshed’s growth as an organization and its popular New Bedford farmers markets fulfill a dire need in our

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society even in the best of times. It establishes a crucial connection between local agriculture and local consumers.

Now, it is digging deeper not only to sustain that connection but also to strengthen it through an ordering portal on sourcewhatsgood.com and home delivery to house-bound South Coast residents.

Nationally, the news carried ominous warnings of the dangers to corporate-run agribusiness, with its dependence on vulnerable and often exploited migrant workers. But these same stories only solidified the respect the New Bedford farmers market has in the community and the value it brings to our society.

Two people who have long understood that value are Adam Davenport of the Marion Institute’s Grow Education programs and Steven Rittenhouse, a farmer and operator of Steven’s Farm Stand in Rochester (learn more about the Marion

June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

Institute at marioninstitute.org). Both have an inherent understanding of the larger issues involved with securing a sustainable local agriculture model into the future.

Growing knowledge

“Grow Education has been working in one of the most food-insecure populations in Bristol County (New Bedford), to educate youth about fresh and high-quality foods, local agriculture, and sustainability,” writes Davenport.

“The Southcoast Food Policy Council, a new program of the Marion Institute, has a mission of connecting and improving all aspects of the South Coast food system.

Currently we are leading daily meetings to respond to food security needs across the South Coast due to Covid-19. Our long-term vision will be to connect and strengthen every member in our local food chain to build resilience, economic

success, and public and environmental health.”

Rittenhouse recalls that, “I’ve always had a love for farming. It started when I was really young, but I thought it was impossible to make a living at. So, I always farmed as a hobby. Growing up I had a vegetable garden and some fruit trees, chickens for eggs, and goats for milk.

“Then when I went to college to pursue a career, I took a sociology class called ‘Food, Famine, and Farming’ that really opened my eyes up to all the problems with modern factory farming – from pollution, to chemicals, to soil degradation.

“It was at this point I started researching more, and found these smaller farms that were taking a step back from the monoculture and commodity style of farming.

Instead they were growing a wide variety of food and selling it to their local communities. I knew that’s what I wanted to do, and how I could make a difference.”

With Steven’s Farm Stand, Rittenhouse has taken an entrepreneurial approach to achieving his local agriculture goals. He was a member of the Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) winter cohort group this year and is also part of a summer CSA share program (you can learn more at stevensfarmstand.com).

Tastes good, is good

Both men cite a plethora of benefits local agriculture brings to our lives today – from environmental to economic, to nutrition and just better tasting food.

“Nutrient and chemical runoff goes directly into our waterways – hurting the entire ecosystem,” says Davenport. “This puts a strain on environmental and public health, as well as the long-term viability of natural resources used as the foundation of our economy.

“Because of their growing methods, this whole system lacks resilience. An (alltoo-often) extreme weather event or a political stunt could risk the supply chain of our food system. Some think more chemicals and GMO crops are the answer – some think building resilient systems that support local economies is a better alternative!”

Rittenhouse certainly agrees. “Smaller local farms have less land to fertilize and can better manage their fertilizer inputs,” he explains. “A larger monoculture farm

may use one fertilizer blend for their whole field because it is more cost effective and easier to manage. This is a problem for large tracts of land because the land composition itself will vary even over an acre – not to mention hundreds of acres. This could lead to more fertilizer in certain areas than what is needed which will run off into the water ways causing pollution. You don’t normally see this with local, well-managed farms. The local farms I have seen take really good care of their soil. They treat it as well as they treat their crops.”

Additionally, “I also feel it helps the local economy. I find a lot of the people who buy from me, I end up buying from later on or using their services. It really seems like the money stays in circulation in this area.”

And then there is the quality of local produce, which anyone who has shopped at a South Coast farmers market probably already knows.

“You can’t beat the taste or quality of local produce!” says Rittenhouse. “A supermarket cherry tomato doesn’t even come close to the taste of one fresh off the vine.”

“Local produce is also more nutritious… fruits and vegetables begin to lose their nutrients 24 hours after being picked. We pick daily for the markets we sell at so our produce is maybe six hours old when our customers get it. Compare this to grocery stores, where it may be a couple days before they even receive it, and then it will sit on their shelf for even longer.”

The bottom line – especially at this time of crisis – is that a local, sustainable food chain is the best prescription for the future.

“Why are we letting our taxpayer funded subsidies go towards giving everyday Americans a lower-quality and lesshealthy food item?” sums up Davenport.

“Local farmers don’t get the help from subsidies – and they take the extra time and effort to care for their land, which is the future of their and their families’ livelihood.”

Steven Rittenhouse says that one of his favorite quotes is “despite all our achievements we owe our existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains.”

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COVER STORY

Hospitals

stepping up

By Ann Katzenbach

As the COVID-19 virus swept across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, there was a time in mid-April when the number of cases in Fall River and New Bedford surprised the epidemiologists.

W

hile other mid-sized cities in the state were in emergency mode with many new cases, the infection rates in the cities of New Bedford and Fall River were noticeably lower than those in cities of similar size. Today, in the ever-evolving crisis, the cities and surrounding towns have caught up a bit.

Still, the pandemic is being managed by dedicated teams of health workers and officials.

As Damon Chaplin, Director of New Bedford’s Health Department says, “There are things that are happening so quickly. Information is changing so quickly. We’re reactive right now, so we want to get into a proactive state.”

Steward Medical Group, which has hospitals throughout the United States (including St Anne’s Hospital in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Morton), began taking proactive steps early. Since the beginning of the outbreak, these two hospitals have collaborated and sorted out their patients, with Morton treating diagnosed COVID-19 patients and St. Anne’s acting as an isolation facility while still dealing with other emergencies. Fifty-five nurses from Saint Anne’s volunteered to work at Morton in the ICU where they have taken 8-12 hour shifts day and night.

Patients arriving at the hospitals with serious symptoms are tested immediately and sent to Morton. Others with

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less-severe symptoms are tested and sent home and told to self-isolate or they can be isolated at the hospital. Their test results come back in 12 hours.

Together, six feet apart

“In a crisis, people come together,” says Cheryl Carole Billington, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer at

June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

Saint Anne’s. “Our list of nurse volunteers willing to work at Morton was developed within hours.” She says this meant new roles for many workers at both hospitals, so there was a need for flexibility and enhanced support.

She adds, “Caring for very sick or dying patients is very emotional and consuming. Our nurses worry about their patients Don’t let COVID-19 keep you from getting the urgent care you need. Hospitals still encourage everyone to not hesitate to call 911 in case of an emergency.

and their own families.” Seeing a need, Steward Health Care arranged for individual and group therapy sessions for the nurses, and Billington found a free classical music link that many of them listen to when they take a break. Also, thinking creatively, the Pediatric Rehab staff at Saint Anne’s shared with everyone a three-month calendar of activities and physical movements that cooped-up children and stressed workers say have been invaluable.

One other lift that has meant a lot to the staff at Saint Anne’s is the addition of nurses who are in their senior year of nursing school and have had to forego classes that have been cancelled.

Instead, they are getting hands-on experience by working at area hospitals.

Billington says their help has been crucial.

At Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford and Charleton Hospital in Fall River, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the environmental staff, nurses, and doctors have been working for weeks under challenging conditions. Southcoast Health writes, “We are so thankful for our amazing nurses. Their dedication, sense of humor, and the example they set for those inside and outside [the hospital] is awe-inspiring.” They say that one way to show support for their work is to purchase and display a large red Southcoast Health flag or to show red in some public way (red lights are popular). Another is to “pay it forward” and perform a simple act of kindness during the day. Challenge your friends to do the same.

In closing, here are the words of Chelsey Howard, RN, who works in the frontlines at Charlton Hospital. “I never in a million years would have thought this would be my reality, working on a COVID unit in the middle of a pandemic just two years out of nursing school. This is a scary time for all of us, and I’ll admit, I am anxious every time I go to work, worried of the unknown. But the outpouring of support from loved ones, friends, co-workers, and the community has been overwhelming. I’ve never been so proud to be a part of such an amazing team. Stay strong everyone, we’re in this together – just six feet apart.”

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COVER STORY

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RESPOND TO COVID-19

by Michael J. DeCicco

IN WAYS BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, TOWN HALLS ACROSS THE SOUTH COAST ARE ADJUSTING TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THEIR RESIDENTS DESPITE THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY’S COVID-ERA SOCIAL DISTANCING MANDATES.

T

he biggest examples of this effort include that the restrictions aren’t stopping the construction of new public safety buildings in Freetown and Mattapoisett.

In Freetown, the construction of a new $9.9 million police station is still moving forward to possibly open around the end of the summer. “We are working with the general contractor and subcontractors, and we have put in place safeguards to protect the workers,” town administrator David DeManche said. “The project is continuing.”

The building is 65-70 percent complete, said owner and project manager of Pomeroy Associates, Taylor McDonald. Interior work is the focus right now, he said: appliances, paint, electrical.

“We don’t know what affect the COVID restrictions will have on the project down the road,” McDonald said. “But we will follow the strict CDC guidelines. We assume the restrictions will have some affect, delivery of materials and such. But we are still comfortable that the project will be done around the end of the summer.”

The new 22,000 square-foot police facility at 15 Memorial Drive will replace the current 3,000-square-foot, circa-1977 station currently next door to it. It was approved for funding by the fall town meeting and election in the fall of 2018. The general contractor, H.V. Collins, began construction in January 2020.

STILL BUILDING In Mattapoisett, the $9.27 million plan to build a new fire station on land adjacent to the County Road police station is also

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June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

on track despite COVID-19-related shutdowns.

Town Administrator Michael Lorenco explained that the federal government CDC guidelines declare public safety an essential service. So this type of construction cannot be delayed, so long as appropriate social distancing practices are also followed.

“There have been no delays,” Lorenco said. “We are meeting with their staff. Ideally, work will start in early May. Electrical work is being done now. Trees going down in the coming weeks.”

“Unfortunately, our current fire station lacks practically every necessity to safely do our jobs in today’s world,” fire chief Andrew Murray added. “But we have a frontline team that we have been utilizing and another team as backup when needed.

We are trying to keep the staff separated to prevent the potential spread and cross-contamination. We have ready-go bags on all of our vehicles that include Tyvek suits, goggles, N95 masks, and disinfectants. The station is cleaned and disinfected twice a day. We have disinfectant and sanitizer spray that we use prior to heading home and when needed.”

Meanwhile. Mattapoisett town hall itself is also extra-cautious as it tries hard to serve the public under social distancing restrictions.

It does this through staff rotation – only one person in each town hall office at one time. “Residents can still call for services,” town clerk Catherine Heuberger assured residents.

“They can still get permits.”

Social distancing restrictions, however, mean lessening the

amount of personal interactions, she said. That includes allowing the submission of photos instead of encouraging personal inspections and sending most communications via email.

In Dartmouth, it’s a similar story, said Town Clerk Lynn Medeiros. She and one other staff member are in the office, with a third person working from home.

But Medeiros said her office is also processing permitting and payments by mail and credit cards. “Just nothing person-to-person,” she explained.

She noted the hardest thing to continue doing are marriage certificates and intentions. So she can’t do them right now. But with all these restrictions, she said, they are still trying hard to maintain public services.

“It has been incredibly busy dealing with COVID-19 issues, while still providing government services,” Town Administrator Shawn MacInnes added. “The town was proactive back in early March by starting to create Continuity of Operations Plans (COOPs) for each department. These plans provided a process for staff to work remotely, while still providing essential town services to the public. These COOPs went into full effect on April 6.”

Since that date, he said, public Town departments are open for business as usual as much as possible. “To that end, phone calls are being returned, and the website has been updated with information for residents and businesses to continue applying for licenses and permits, pay taxes, obtain information, and access the Town Clerk. Drop-off locations have been set up at Town Hall to allow for depositing of hard-copy materials.”

Many payment options have always been available online. But since just prior to the pandemic, the town has been working on implementing a new online licensing and permitting system, he said. This new system will be fully automated and allow applicants to apply, pay, and track their applications online as well as look up historical information on their property.

“We just went live, internally, with the licenses distributed by the Selectboard’s office (Liquor, Common Victualler, etc.),” MacInnes said, “and we are also in the final stages of configuring our building permits module in the system. We hope to have it live by the end of May.” On the COVID-19 response side of things, he added, the town has implemented an Incident Command Response (ICS) Plan.

This detailed plan provides for a comprehensive town and regional coordinated response. Spearheaded by the Health Director Chris Michaud, this coordinated response team meets weekly to review the town’s COVID-19 response.

This team has set up a COVID-19 information page (town. dartmouth.ma.us/covid-19) and has released a number of PSA videos, press releases, and best practices for health and safety during this time. The information is also available on the Town’s Facebook page (facebook.com/DartmouthMA).

“We have also hired a number of nurses to man the Town’s COVID-19 hotline, 508-910-1844,” he said. “They provide the public with information on testing, contact tracing, and answering important questions regarding the virus and symptoms. I can’t begin to cover the amount of effort that has gone into this ICS effort, or identify all of the people working hard to service the residents of Dartmouth.”

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11

THINGS TO DO

from your living room

By Sean McCarthy

The COVID-19 virus may be bringing boredom and consternation to our lives, keeping us away from some of the people we love and some of the things we love to do, but it can’t stop the music.

IF A CRISIS BRINGS OPPORTUNITY, then local musicians are making our shutdown experiences much more palatable and enjoyable, giving us an abundance of music and entertainment via the digital world.

By virtue of the Internet, music fans with a wide array of interests are able to tap into a benevolent bounty of music performed by a wide range of artists.

Whether it’s the rich classical sounds of members of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, the powerful and soulful vocal stylings of Samantha Johnson, the sax work of Marcus Monteiro, or the

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stripped-down renderings of acoustic performers, area talents are helping to take on the coronavirus by doing the thing they love so much: bringing their passion to appreciative audiences.

Music to the rescue “People are flooding the Internet with creativity. In the last two months it’s exploded,” says guitarist John Fernandes of New Bedford. Before March, Fernandes was posting one or two music videos a week. Lately he has been posting almost daily.

“I’m living for live local music right now,”

June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

says Harry Smith of New Bedford. “TV is boring, and I’d rather watch my friends perform. The difference between my living room and a club is that there’s no line for the bathroom and the beer’s cheaper.”

Early this March, Kelly Ann Fernandes of Somerset had a coronavirus epiphany: if people can’t go out to enjoy local music, why not bring the music to them?

Beginning on March 17, Fernandes and her band, Roots Run Wild, began hosting online performances by local artists every Tuesday night, streamed live on Facebook directly from the musicians’ homes. Each mini-concert lasts 15 to

20 minutes (three or four songs) and the evening’s lineup can include as many as nine to 12 different performers playing both original and cover songs. The performances are broadcasted on the pages of the artists as well as the Roots Run Wild page.

Roots Run Wild is comprised of Kelly Ann Fernandes on vocals, mandolin, and guitar, Katie Lee of Fall River on vocals, baritone ukulele and guitar, and percussionist Greg Bazinet, also of Fall River.

Based on Fernandes’ and Lee’s experiences hosting and performing at Open Mics in the area, they’ve dubbed their new project the “Virtual Open Mic.” “During these times when we’re all somewhat secluded, these livestreams are the closest thing we have to actually being with other people,” Fernandes says.

“We want to create a format where the local music community can come together and be able to play live.”

“There’s a huge empty space that exists in a lot of people’s musical lives right now, so it’s nice to be able to fill in a little bit of that,” Lee says. “The main thing is keeping the spirit of live music going through the open mic experience.”

The virtual open mics are also being used to raise money for local nonprofit organizations such as The Zeiterion Theatre, the Fall River food pantry Angels Anonymous, The Women’s Center in New Bedford, Bristol Elderly Services in Fall River, and The Humane Society & Animal Shelter located in Dartmouth. All donations are made online from viewers during the performances. The first fundraiser, done on the second night of the concerts, brought in more than $400. To date they have raised nearly $900.

“It’s been really great to be able to have the option of seeing local music via livestreams,” says Chad Perry, a Fairhaven resident. “I appreciate hearing and discovering new local artists and learning

about their style of music, their own individual sound. I’ve easily found a half-dozen or so locals that I hope to see, hear, and support once this all blows over and they are able to play live gigs again.”

In its first seven shows, the “Virtual Open Mic” has attracted 40 performers.

While the majority of players are from the South Coast area, in their fourth week they were joined by a San Francisco musician, Jomlyn, who discovered the event while Googling for “virtual online music.”

While there is no way of tabulating how many people are tuning in for the performances, Kelly Ann Fernandes estimates that it’s in the hundreds.

Each Tuesday the shows begin at 7 p.m. and last until at least 10 p.m.

Almost all of the online performances include a chat room that runs across the bottom of the musician’s screen.

It is an opportunity for listeners to post blurbs that not only comment on the music being played at that moment but also for quarantined viewers to check in with friends who are watching the same performance.

In addition to praise and support for the musicians, running online conversations between friends can range from “I Miss You’s” to talk about golf clubs.

“I like making fun of my close friends and going back and forth,” Smith says of the chats.

The online format also allows for viewers to support the artists financially through digital “tip jars” - Venmo or PayPal accounts that are posted on the screens.

Smith is taking the time to support the local musicians that he follows.

“These are my friends. They’re part of my weekly scene and I want to help them in these horrible times,” he says. “For some of these musicians their music is all they’ve got – this is their only stream of revenue.”

“During these times when we’re all somewhat secluded, these livestreams are the closest thing we have to actually being with other people”

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The South Coast Insider | June 2020

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Old songs, new medium

Beginning in March, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra has been hosting a series of live Friday night concerts by some of its members online. A May 1 performance included EmmaLee HolmesHicks on violin and Peter Zay on cello for a concert billed as “The Lightness of Spring.” The concert featured Scottish fiddle tunes, Italian songs, Disney classics, and a Mozart selection.

Livestreaming is a new world for the two artists.

“There’s a different feel to these performances,” Holmes-Hicks says. “Just performing online for a screen is very strange. There’s this moment where you’re just wondering who’s out there.

Not having a live audience to respond to is also really strange. You finish a piece and there’s no clapping.

“The response has been really amazing. I was pretty surprised by it,” she says.

“We’ve got a lot of messages saying that it gives people hope, it gives them joy, and it’s nice to have a distraction during this time. They appreciate just being able to listen from wherever they are.”

“This is a very different experience,” Zay says. “You’re staring at a camera and microphones and you have to imagine your audience instead of looking at them directly. But on the other hand you still have the same nerves, you have the same excitement and you’re still playing the pieces the same. But now you’re in somebody’s living room.

“There’s anxieties,” he says. “Anybody could be listening from anywhere in the world, so you don’t know exactly who you’re speaking to and you don’t know what to say.”

The technical aspect of the performance was also unique and somewhat cumbersome for Zay. “We spent hours with the technology,” he says. “Now we’re the sound engineer and we’re the videographer. We have to set up all the mics, all the technical stuff that we’ve never had to do before.”

But Chris Haskell is doing something he’s done many times before.

It’s a Tuesday night and Haskell is singing and playing guitar as part of the “Virtual Open Mic” from his garage at his home in Castleton, Vermont. A former

14

Fairhaven resident, he has been happily recruited to contribute to the concert series.

Unbeknownst to Haskell, two of the songs he performed, Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called To Say I Love You” and the Indigo Girls’ “Closer To Fine”, will be downloaded by New Bedford friend Brian Cass who positions them on a splitscreen format and adds vocal harmonies to both songs as well as layering a mandolin part on the Stevie Wonder song.

The videos were posted on YouTube.

“It’s been really inspiring to watch Kelly and Katie grow this from pretty much nothing,” Haskell says. “I just felt like I wanted to be part of it to give back and

“I’m excited to connect with people through music. Music is something that has gotten me through some hard times, and it can bring people together during difficult times.” donate to it. This is a really good way to show the decades of music that have been made in New Bedford, bringing the new blood and old blood together. A lot of these cats are really young and they’re doing really great things. It’s really nice to see that happening and know that the scene isn’t dead and there’s lots of new talent out there. It’s been inspiring all around.”

While many of the performers play acoustic guitar there has been a diversity to the concerts. On their fourth week the “Virtual Open Mic” included a solo electric guitar show from IONEYE of Newport.

Cass and Lakeville’s Joshua Craig also turned in electric guitar performances.

The New Bedford synthpop duo Kittens Slay Dragons also turned in a set.

Some highlights from the virtual open

June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

mics were a pair of three-song sets from Rowan & John of New Bedford. Rowan Desautels is a 12-year old vocalist who is paired with step-father John Brittingham on guitar. The duo played Jewel’s “Who Will Save Your Soul,” Radiohead’s “Creep,” and Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.”

Online music is not only having a positive effect for listeners, but has also benefited the musicians, providing them with a cathartic outlet.

“These shows are really rewarding,” says Molly Motta, who has performed with her voice and guitar at the virtual open mics. “I’m excited to connect with people through music. Music is something that has gotten me through some hard times, and it can bring people together during difficult times.”

“There’s a camaraderie to these shows,” Kelly Ann Fernandes says. “The musicians don’t just play and tune out. Before and after their sets they’re watching the other acts, they’re staying involved, participating and interacting, supporting each other with their comments.”

Turn your headphones up

Another local organization doing live streaming is the Zeiterion Theatre.

In addition to hosting a performance

by Johnson, they have also featured Wareham native Grace Morrison, and the Broadway duo of Erin Rubico and husband Matt Ban in “Quarantine Cooking: The Musical Episode Live.”

Fall River Community Media (Channel 95) has begun airing two programs featuring local performers. They recently debuted their “Dinnertime With…” series at 6 p.m. on Friday nights, and the “6 Feet Apart Open Mic” show which airs every other Friday evening at 6:30.

For almost five years, viewers of Facebook and YouTube have been able to indulge in the magic and mayhem of guitarist/vocalist James Gagne.

Billed as “Jammin’ With the Salmon!,” the Fairhaven songwriter provides his own spontaneous interpretations of cover songs and original pieces that he usually performs solo or with his band Shipyard Wreck. A propensity of Gagne’s selections are classic rock tunes, taken from his deep trove of cover material.

“When I cover a song I don’t want it to sound anything like the original,” he says.

“When I see a band cover a song I want to hear their variation of it. I’m an entertainer and music is meant to make people happy.”

While his online performances are almost always solo with his acoustic guitar or his keyboard, Gagne often messages friends online to alert them as to when he will be performing next. But he is sometimes inspired to put on spur-of-the-moment shows that may last for a few songs to two hours or more.

“I equate my live performances to a hose that’s ready to burst with water,” he says. “You let the hose get uncrimped and it’s going to come shooting out. I let it rip, I let it go. I’m blowing off steam. The beauty of it is that I get lost in it.

“Playing in my living room is convenient – I have everything set up for me,” he says. “It’s really nice to be able to do a show and go right to bed without having to lug all of my equipment at two o’clock in the morning.”

Social distancing has also had an effect on some local musicians. During the days of COVID-19 Gagne has occasionally been joined by his Shipyard Wreck bandmate, guitarist Thom Hiller of New Bedford. Adhering to modern-day customs, Hiller is positioned six feet behind Gagne, playing to his bandmate’s back. It is a unique situation for both musicians.

“Playing with James can be challenging, lots of fun, and never boring,” Hiller says.

“He has such a diverse musical range and creative approach to performing that you constantly have to be on your toes.

We feed off of each other but when we play public gigs I’m able to feed off of the energy of the crowd – it’s a different animal.”

It’s a late Sunday evening and Gagne is streaming “craziness.” Along with an a cappella excerpt from “Hotel California,” he takes to his keyboard for a lively spontaneous medley of “A Cow In Texas,” “Who Let The Dogs Out?” and “Old McDonald Had A Farm,” set to a driving techno beat. Eventually the refrain from “Proud Mary” – “Rolling on the river” – becomes “Rolling in Fall River.”

But he isn’t always clowning, evidenced by the albums he has released with Shipyard Wreck, most notably “Big Bad Man” which was made available online last October. Like many performers, he also uses the video chat rooms to take

song requests.

“I never have a set list,” he says.

“Whenever you see me play it won’t be the same show twice.”

But thanks to the Internet viewers are able to watch the same show twice. If a viewer isn’t able to catch an online performance as it happens many of the shows are archived in the digital realm, allowing the broadcasts to be watched at a later time.

“I really enjoy these music posts,” John Fernandes says. “As musicians we’re always playing at the same time as each other, usually on Fridays and Saturday nights, but this break allows for us to watch and listen to what other local musi-

“This is a whole new way of doing something that I could probably do for the rest of my life, I don’t want to stop doing these shows no matter what.” cians are doing. Watching other local musicians inspires me to write and perform even more.”

A majority of the local music being played on the Internet are covers, but a handful of area song crafters are taking the opportunity to perform original material that is new or unreleased. Neal McCarthy of Fall River (and my brother) is playing songs from his recent digital album, “Blue Moon.” Acushnet’s Craig Dee, also known as Craig DeMelo The Whiskey Poet, has performed songs from the upcoming album, “Stronger Waters,” due out this summer. Dartmouth’s J Kelley has been using Wednesday nights to offer listeners acoustic versions of both his recorded songs and upcoming songs from the album “A Third of Heaven,” while some performers are occasionally interspersing their cover songs with their own

original creativity, such as Motta.

A handful of artists playing on the “Virtual Open Mic” also broadcast independent online performances including DeMelo who does shows on Friday nights and McCarthy who takes to Facebook with his own Watch Parties.

Almost all of the online concerts are recorded via the phone camera of the artist or artists performing. Some musicians will use amplifiers for their vocals and instruments while some will play directly into their phones with no assistance.

“This is a whole new way of doing something that I could probably do for the rest of my life, I don’t want to stop doing these shows no matter what,” Zay says. “I find it exciting and I feel that there are new opportunities that I didn’t know existed.

I can reach new people all of a sudden.

There’s this exciting element where you could reach anybody.

“As a musician I’ve travelled all over the world, and not everyone can go to my concerts, but they can in this scenario.”

“I’m from Illinois so people from there can tune in,” Holmes-Hicks says. “My husband is from Brazil so his family is tuning in. It’s easy for people to turn on their device and listen from wherever they are.”

Gagne boasts a listenership that extends across America as well as having followers in Japan.

Performances by Roots Run Wild on the “Virtual Open Mic” have gotten online viewers from Connecticut, California, Portugal and France.

“I’m super grateful for the efforts of Kelly and Katie for organizing these events and bringing people together,” Motta says. “They’re keeping that human connection that people are missing so much these days.”

Hiller recommends that musicians and viewers seize the day. “Who knows what the future of live music will look like so we’d better get used to this and make the most of it.”

“The way we’re looking at it now is that we’re going to continue to do this as long as people are still interested,” Fernandes says. “I’ve learned in the last few years that I’ve been involved in the local music community that the level of talent here is incredible. The more you seek the more you find. There’s so much versatility it’s amazing. We could do this forever.”

The South Coast Insider | June 2020

15

THINGS TO DO

Hike your troubles away

It’s important to maintain social distancing, but that’s easiest to do while out on the trails. Places like the Lloyd Center (pictured) provide perfect venues to safely enjoying the great outdoors.

By Paul Kandarian

COVID-19 has forced us inside, but truth be told, there’s a lot to be said for going outside–and not just to go shopping.

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ur area is crazy rich with great places to walk, including conservation areas, land trusts in virtually every community, statewide, local and national parks and preserves, and hiking trails over hill, over dale, and around and over swamps, providing all manner of opportunities to get out, get moving, and get sane.

One of many regional crown jewels include the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth, a nonprofit with headquarters and nature preserve overlooking the scenic Slocum River estuary. It has a great reputation for environmental research and education, with a myriad of programs offered this spring and summer for all ages.

“We are planning our Young Naturalist Summer Programs for children ages 5-7, our Coastal Studies for students entering grades 3-8, and our outreach programs for the general public,” said Rachel

June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

Stronach, executive director. “We hope to be able to provide these programs over the summer, based on guidance from state and local officials. Our staff has been working diligently to structure our programs to proceed safely. Registration is currently open and of course, we will provide full refunds if the programs cannot proceed due to health concerns.”

The center’s 82-acre property offers over five miles of walking trails, the “Bridge to Discovery” dock on the Slocum River, vernal pools, oak-hickory forest, freshwater wetlands, salt marsh, estuary views, and is home to an injured screech owl.

“Over the past couple of months we have seen an increase of hikers on our trails which is wonderful. It is our hope that people are realizing their need to have a connection to nature,” Stronach said.

In Marion, there’s the popular Hale Brook and Sippican River holding of the statewide Trustees of Reservation on

County Road, comprising a few miles of forest trails cutting over pine and oak uplands and wetland habitats, which includes a series of well-placed boardwalks to keep you above the water that collects on trails after rains. It’s a beautiful walk and an easement on one part takes hikers past sprawling active cranberry bogs, a great place to take a break, sit in the sun, and relax.

Speaking of boardwalks, Osprey Marsh on Point Road in Marion, a holding of the Sippican Lands Trust, has a new and truly spectacular 1,800-foot-long boardwalk connecting the parking area to Planting Island Cove, a long and winding walkway with bump-out benches with plenty of space for strollers and wheelchairs to pass. You can walk from the trail end to the water as well, where the views are even better.

In nearby Mattapoisett is a sprawling Buzzards Bay Coalition holding aptly called The Bogs, a network of 212 acres of conserved land in the Mattapoisett River valley that includes 50 acres of cranberry bogs no longer in use and overgrown in a spectacular fashion only Mother Nature can provide when she reclaims land. That includes a large freshwater shrub swamp on the back edge of the sunbaked and windswept wide-open spaces, a rare habitat for the area. There are several connected trails in nearby woods, all of which can easily keep you walking for hours.

Shaw Farm Trail in Fairhaven is a beauty, located on the popular Phoenix Bike Trail/Mattapoisett Rail Trail just east of Shaw Road, with a bike rack at the trailhead. The trail connects the bike path to the Nasketucket Bay State Reservation in Mattapoisett, itself a state park with many miles of trails through woods, meadows and salt marshes with spectacular views of Nasketucket Bay. Hikers and history buffs love Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, with a high-rising grassy park that’s great for walking and picnicking in good weather. Also here is historic Fort Phoenix, the site of the first battle of the Revolutionary War, with all manner of antique cannons and other ancient artifacts dotting the windswept knoll.

And though it’s not in the woods, one

very easy and popular walk is the hurricane barrier nearby that stretches across New Bedford Harbor, an Army Corps of Engineers structure that is topped by a half-mile paved walkway with truly stunning views of the city’s legendary waters and waterfront.

Over in Fall River is the gigantic Copicut Woods with its 516 acres that serve as the gateway to the 13,600acre Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve, with upland forests, wetlands and waterways, and an array of flora and fauna, from deer to coyote to hawks, owls, and salamanders. For an urban walk thick with history in Fall River, check out Heritage State Park, a history-themed recreation area on the Taunton River, 14 acres next to the majestic Braga Bridge on Battleship Cove.

Not far away in adjacent Rhode Island islands is the challenging Fort Barton and Fort Barton Woods in Tiverton, where a steep initial walk from the parking area lands you in the Revolutionary War fortifications, and an observation tower offering a panoramic view of Narragansett Bay. From there, hit the trails sprawling over 83 acres, with 3.5 miles of trails that take you alongside the fire-and-brimstone sounding Sin and Flesh Brook. Fort Barton is a harder than average hike, so be prepared for hilly terrain and many roots and rocks that can trip you up.

Newport’s Cliff Walk is legendary and can be crowded, so you may want to hit Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown, a 242-acre preserve with such strategic importance it had been home to a variety of military installations.

Now there is a beautifully renovated visitor center and nearly three miles of nature trails with viewing platforms and any number of spots to stop and take in some of the best ocean views in Rhode Island.

It’s not just over 65,000 annual human visitors who love Sachuest; in winter, it hosts the largest winter population of harlequin ducks on the East Coast.

One good thing about hiking in areas with not a lot of people: it’s easy to maintain social distancing, but bring your mask just in case, not to mention water and bug spray.

Stay safe, people. And to stay sane, take a hike.

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THINGS TO DO

Gardens of Earthly Delight O

kay – so you’ve been spending a lot of time in your backyard over the last few months, and you’re really getting tired of the view.

But take yet-another saunter around the perimeter and envision what it could look like in the future with a few simple upgrades – small “pocket” gardens bursting with color from early spring into the fall.

Even those dry, crusty spots under trees and those damp, gloomy corners “where the sun don’t shine” can be transformed into almost-miraculous oases of greenery, texture and a rainbow of flowers. All it takes is some imagination – and patience.

There are plenty of people dislocated by recent events who’d enjoy the opportunity to help you reclaim your backyard.

Word-of-mouth can put you in touch with underemployed folks who’d enjoy working outdoors with you for a fair day’s pay. Landscaping has frequently been a seasonal side gig for college students, home-improvement contractors and many others, so experience with

18

By Elizabeth Morse Read gardening is more common than you’d think. (Unless you really want to hire and pay for a professional landscaper, that is.)

First you need to be realistic about the overall costs and how willing/able you are to maintain these little gardens once the hard work’s been done. You’re better off buying potted plants than trying your hand at growing anything from seed, and the sooner you find a quality source for those plants, the better. While some nurseries and garden shops have reopened to the general public, many offer home delivery or road-side pickup once you’ve ordered and paid for your plants over the phone or the Internet.

You need to educate yourself about what grows well where, too. You wouldn’t put a shade-loving plant like columbine or fern in the blazing-hot center of your yard, nor sun-lovers like daisies and salvia under that big old oak tree. They won’t survive and you’ll have wasted your money. Better to match the characteristics of each corner of your property to the characteristics of the plants.

So – let’s start with the impossible

June June 2020 2020 || The TheSouth SouthCoast CoastInsider Insider

locations. You’ve got a blank side wall that gets little direct sunlight, and you’ve given up on anything ever growing there, right?

Not so fast – try putting up a trellis and planting a climbing hydrangea, clematis, or even honeysuckle. Talk to your local nursery owner and ask if they carry those plants and be clear about your sunlight dilemma – some plant subspecies are better choices than others.

Or let’s say you have a rocky, hardpacked patch under your backyard tree.

Nothing will grow there, right? Nope – if you dig up and amend the soil with peat moss and a balanced fertilizer, you can try planting hardy shade survivors like vinca (aka periwinkle) or hosta (aka plantain lily). They may not spread as quickly as they would under better conditions, but at least they’d improve the view. Again, talk it over with the pros at the gardening shop.

Shade areas in general seem to flummox newbie gardeners, but you can actually create lush and dream-like areas of contrasting shapes, textures, and color.

The tall, feathery spikes of astilbe (aka

false goat’s beard) come in red, pink, purple, and white, and they complement mounds of green fern fronds and the arching stalks of Solomon’s seal or bleeding heart. Along with other shade-loving plants, like the delicate columbine, they all thrive in a will-drained woodland-type soil richly amended with organic matter and peat moss. Once they’ve established and flourished for a few years, they can be divided and transplanted to other shady areas.

As for your sunny areas, whether it be your front walkway, against a sunny wall, or along your backyard fence, there’s almost an embarrassment of riches for you to choose from in a wild palette of colors, heights, and growing characteristics that will attract beneficial pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

For dramatic height and large flowers of almost all colors, plant hollyhocks (and protect them from the wind). For purple hues, choose violets, purple salvia, liatris, purple phlox, lavender, asters, speedwell, and coneflowers. For true blues, try bellflowers or ageratum. For bright perky yellows, oranges, and reds, choose coreopsis, asclepias, bee balm, red salvia, black-eyed susan, poppies, and gaillardia.

Or mix the colors, shapes, and growing schedules into a rainbow that will last through the fall.

White Shasta daisies, like their cousins (coneflower, gaillardia, asters, coreopsis, and black-eyed susan), need to be pinched back to encourage bushy growth and deadheaded to promote extended blooming. Members of the daisy family also all tend to be “spreaders,” so manage their growth to make sure they don’t crowd out your other plants – you can divide them after a few years before they start to take over.

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Creeping suspicions Speaking of “spreaders” – resist the temptation to plant rapidly growing vines like English ivy, Virginia creeper, or trumpet vine unless you’re willing and able to keep them carefully pruned. If you don’t they’ll literally engulf everything in sight – tree trunks, the side of your house, lawn furniture – and can cause serious damage to shingles or brick masonry.

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C o a s t

Prime timeS M a r c h /A pr i l 2 02 0 • Volum e 16 • Num ber 2

Calm

waters Living large Hunt for treasure Season for seasonings Stitched together Rooster’s call

In times like these, it is more important than ever to stay engaged, entertained, and up-to-date on our community.

Remember that you can read this month’s issue, and every issue, for free online.

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Other gardening traps to avoid: growing “exotics” or high-maintenance plants that don’t fit in our Zone 7 hardiness environment. (Why would you even try to grow cactus or orchids outdoors in New England?) And, unless you’ve got a very nice neighbor-gardener who’ll advise you year-long, don’t try to recreate an English rose garden the first time you pick up a trowel. Roses require special care and a lot more patience than a first-time gardener usually has.

Sometimes, though, you might have an ugly patch on your property where nothing seems to grow, and you would dearly love to find a hardy perennial

GARDEN SEASON IS HERE!

With a few exceptions, all of the plants mentioned above will survive well with one inch of rain per week. When extra watering is required, make sure you do it in the early morning or late afternoon – not during the hot, sunny hours. And water your plants from below (not directly onto leaves) to prevent “burning,” rusting, and leaf rot. Use reputable commercial fertilizers (10-10-10 mixes are the best, unless otherwise advised for acid-loving plants like azaleas) to stimulate foliage/ root/blossom health according to the recommended schedule. Deadhead spent blossoms and leaves regularly and dispose of them to prevent mold, diseases, and insects.

Sure, you can go the “instant garden”

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“spreader” that would hide it – time to check out alyssum, creeping phlox, and ageratum! They pretty much thrive on neglect and keep coming back year after year – all they need is some sunshine.

And, when you need hardy sun-loving perennials that will perk up your property with a minimum of care, daylilies will come to the rescue, with their brightly colored blossoms amid a bed of dark green foliage. Try the popular yellow stella d’oro lilies or taller daylilies in deep orange or spotted varieties. And don’t forget that the ever-so-humble hosta (you really can’t kill ‘em) come in a range from deep bluish-green, striped (variegated), or pale green, small-leaved varieties that thrive in the sun as well as the shade. Alternate them with the daylilies for a dramatic walkway or border area.

June 2020 | The South Coast Insider

route by buying hanging baskets and planters full of short-lived annuals, but wouldn’t it be a better investment of your time and money to check a planting calendar and prep your property for perennials? If you want to see crocus, daffodils, jonquils, irises, and tulips pop up in the spring, plant them in the fall and let them naturalize over the years. And if you want beautiful summer gardens that reappear with little other than your original toil and expense, start planting them now. You may not have all that much to look at this first summer, but as the plants establish themselves and you check in on them occasionally with fertilizer, cutting back and mulching, you’ll be richly rewarded in years to come.

And the birds and bees will thank you, too.

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Here at the Studio by the Sea finding the perfect ring starts with YOU! Colors are sourced, designs are drafted, and masterpieces are created here with YOU in mind.

Engage yourself in this creative process. Rather than settle for a ring you like—create the one you know YOU will adore!

The South Coast Insider | June 2020

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Member FDIC Member DIF

2020-21 SEASON ANNOUNCED

We’re preparing for when the stage lights come on again.

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2020-21 SEASON COMING SOON

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street • Sweat Tiny Beautiful Things • Fairview • The Diary of Anne Frank • Anna K. Plus! A Christmas Carol and The Prince of Providence

THE FAMILYOF

TRINITYREP.COM • (401) 351-4242 • 201 WASHINGTON ST. • PROVIDENCE

HOME LOANS

For access to FREE digital content now, visit trinityrep.com/theshowgoeson SEASON SPONSORS

L TO R: SCOTT AIELLO & CHARLIE THURSTON IN THE PRINCE OF PROVIDENCE • PHOTO BY MARK TUREK

For more information or to apply Call us at 774-888-6100 | bankfive.com NMLS#525575

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XVIII: THE HITMAKERS

Saturday, 7:30PM

AUGUST 22

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June 2020 T O| The A D South V E R TCoast I S E Insider I N T H

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Most Efficient

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