November 2013
the south coast
Vol. 17 / No. 11
coastalmags.com
Buy local Tempest in a tollbooth More than ‘just football’
Time to feast
Fix that low credit score
The secrets of micronutrients
‘Suitcase’ music
Plus events and more
“He’s the perfect match for our business.” Richard Oliveira of Princess Limousine speaking about Ed Moniz, Business Development Specialist at St. Anne’s Credit Union.
“After many years of looking for the best financial partner for our business, we finally met our perfect match,” says Richard Oliveira, President of Princess Limousine in Fall River. He’s talking about Ed Moniz, Business Development Specialist for Anne’s Credit Union. “Ed’s banking experience has been a critical part of our business success,” Richard says. “Over the years, he has gotten us into programs that have saved us literally thousands of dollars a month.”
L to R: Princess Limousine Office Manager Paul Cabral and President Richard Oliveira; St. Anne’s Credit Union Business Development Specialist Ed Moniz; and Princess Limousine General Manager Brian Thomas.
Richard says Ed Moniz has truly earned his trust by looking out for Princess Limousine. “Ed is a no-nonsense guy who will go to bat for you and your company. Not too many business people today can measure up to him.”
Ready for a local banker who’s the perfect match for your business? Call Ed Moniz today at (508) 542-7949.
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NOVEMBER 2013
Contents In Every Issue
YOUR HEALTH
YOUR FUTURE
4
8
36 Tarot-scope
From the publisher
32
Dateline South Coast
By Elizabeth Morse Read
COVER STORY
18
22
26
Over a century of rivalry: Whalers vs. Hilltoppers By Sean McCarthy
Tempest in a tollbooth: the new Sakonnet bridge
2
By The Celtic Cricket
By Joyce Rowley
ON MY MIND Vital things in small packages: micronutrients By Elizabeth Morse Read
38
It started with the Pilgrims
By Paul E. Kandarian
REGIONAL NEWS
28
Keeping track: South Coast Rail inches forward By Steve Smith
By Jay Pateakos
WHAT’S COOKING Fixing the score: how to repair your credit rating By Nancy Kernan
THINGS TO DO
6
10
Time to feast! It’s harvest time along the South Coast
What’s with all the Santa suits? Fairhaven and New Bedford are fully booked for the holidays
16
Going cold-turkey on turkey leftovers: try broccoli By Paul Letendre
SOUTH COAST MUSIC
30
Unpacking The Moldy Suitcases By Sean McCarthy
By Michael J. DeCicco
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
ON THE COVER It’s the holiday season, and the best gift you can give to local businesses is to shop there. Whether you’re filling Christmas stockings or cooking up a holiday banquet, shopping local benefits everyone.
Money Minute Tips Protecting Your Identity
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3
FROM THE PUBLISHER November 2013 / Vol. 17 / No. 11 Published by Coastal Communications Corp. Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic
Welcome to the November edition of “The South Coast Insider,” the region’s number-one publication for
Editor Greg Jones
information and news concerning this lovely coastal area we call home.
Contributors Michael J. DeCicco, Paul E. Kandarian, Nancy Kernan, Paul Letendre, Tom Lopes, Elizabeth Morse Read, Joyce Rowley, Sean McCarthy, Jay Pateakos, Steven C. Smith
November is one of those months that can come in a number of costumes. It can pretend to be winter for a few days, or it can give us a last, wonderful bit of summer. The crisp fall air is invigorating, and once again we welcome
The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area. The Insider is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay. All contents copyright ©2013 Coastal Communications Corp.
Deadline 20 days prior to publication. 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.
Circulation 30,000
the sun, rather than hide from it under awnings and summer hats. It’s harvest time, and the products from our many local farms fill pantries and inspire cooks. Joyce Rowley spent some with folks who are involved in the South Coast “food scene,” and her report begins on page 8. Paul Letendre brings us a recipe from Italy that may be just the thing for palates jaded by too much turkey. Turn to page 16 and head to the kitchen. Tolls. Paying to cross a bridge or travel a stretch of road has been around at least as long as the invention of money, and in this case, familiarity has truly bred contempt. Jay Pateakos looked into the toll scenario for the new Sakonnet bridge, and it’s a fascinating read. Turn to page 22 for the whole story. All of this and more in the November issue. None of it would be possible without our many fine South Coast advertisers. Remember to buy local whenever possible to support your friends and neighbors.
Subscriptions $25 per year
Address The South Coast Insider 144 Purchase Street • PO Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722
Ljiljana Vasiljevic Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Phone (508) 677-3000
Website www.coastalmags.com
E-mail editor@coastalmags.com Our advertisers make this publication possible–please support them
4
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
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The South Coast Insider / November 2013
5
THINGS TO DO
Boredom not an option by Michael J. DeCicco
Fairhaven and New Bedford won’t let you stay home or make area malls your second home this holiday season. In downtown New Bedford, on the weekend of December 7 and 8, you will have a choice between Downtown New Bedford, Inc.'s annual "Downtown Holiday Stroll" and an invigorating "Santa Sightings 5k Fun Run". The Santa Fun Run, for which everyone participating dresses as Santa Claus, starts December 7 at 11:00 a.m. at city hall in downtown New Bedford, winds its way to the Clasky Common Park and back downtown. Run Director Geoffrey Smith of Mattapoisett said the tradition started eight years ago in Liverpool, England before it migrated across the pond to the US. This will be the run's third year in New Bedford. 6
"It is more like a walk around town, not a timed run," Smith said. "It's intended to get people together, off the couch and into some activity." Registration is $32 throughout October, $35 from November to December 5, and $40 on the day of the run/walk. Everyone, no matter their age or size, is provided a Santa costume, from the beard to the boots. It is open to any level of runner. To register, go on-line to www.thesightings.com. The first Santa Run in New Bedford attracted 1,500 people, Smith said. Last year the total was 1,700. "The difference this year is that it is scheduled in conjunction with the Holiday Stroll and Christmas Tree lighting," he said. "It's all part of a
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
family-oriented weekend downtown." Smith knows the value of such an organized walk. He is a two-time champion Boston Marathon runner, in 1984 and 1985, and a two-time Olympian. He completed the 10,000 meter run in Moscow in 1980 and the marathon run in Los Angeles, CA in 1984. The sixth annual Downtown Holiday Stroll is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. It starts Saturday at noon when Santa Claus arrives at Custom House Square by antique fire truck and sets up shop in Mare Studios and Gallery on Centre Street to greet children and pose for free 5" X 7" photos.
Tree lighting As musicians perform in venues around downtown, the shops will be open for Christmas shoppers. The weekend also features a Christmas parade and a ceremony to light the city’s giant tree on the library steps. Santa will be available at Mare Studio on Sunday as well. Organizers ask that those interested in participating call the Downtown New Bedford Inc. office at 508-9902777 and fill out a participant form. You will then be included in the marketing and printed schedule of activities/map that will be distributed throughout the area and online at www.downtownnb.org. New Bedford won’t let you stay home
Bethel and traditional Portuguese Fado singing at a site yet to be determined. At press time, AHA Director Lee Heald said the exact schedule of musicians and performers is still being worked on. But the common denominator is that they will all be local. "'Jazz at the Art Museum' will be all local musicians from UMass Dartmouth," she said. "It's a total community celebration. It's designed as a free family-friendly event." In Fairhaven, holiday festivities start with the 22nd Annual Holiday Bazaar on November 16, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Nemasket Group, 56 Bridge St., Fairhaven. On Saturday, fine artisans will be selling their creations for unique holiday gifts. There will be a
Also on Fairhaven's calendar is an "Old-Time Holiday Weekend" event scheduled for December 13, 14 and 15 at various locations around town.
on New Year’s Eve, either. The fifth annual “City Celebrates! New Year’s Eve,” sponsored by AHA Inc., starts on December 30 at 4:30 p.m. on the city hall steps with an opening ceremony featuring Mayor Jon Mitchell. From 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., Custom House Square will feature an ice sculpture display. Wings Court will feature a DJ music block party for teens. Other venues downtown will offer children activities and entertainment and art and music for all ages. Performers certain to appear include The Toe Jam Puppet Band, the Jedlie Magic Circus and the Suspenders Juggling group. Live music will include Celtic music at the Seaman's
silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, breakfast and lunch. For 22 years, proceeds from the bazaar have benefited Nemasket Group programs that work with mentally disabled adults and the families of children with disabilities. Nemasket Group representative Patricia Janiak said the bazaar raises on average $7,000 per year. "It's always fun and for a worthy cause," she said. The event hosts 25 vendors, who are all from around Southeastern MA, she said. This year, 16 spaces have been booked as of press time. The cost is $30 per 8"x 6" space, $20 extra for Nemasket to provide the table. Call her at 508-999-4435 x101.
Richard said all three are in historic buildings and will feature arts, crafts, food, baked goods and holiday decorations. "In 1998," he said, "this office saw that between Thanksgiving and Christmas each of them would hold their own fair on a different day. We decided to coordinate things so the three fairs would take place on one day so more people would come. And it's been very successful over the years." Caroling, fairs, luncheons, children’s activities, concerts and more are also scheduled throughout the weekend by local non-profit, school and church groups. For more information, call the Fairhaven Tourism Office at 508-9794085 or e-mail FairhavenTours@aol.com.
Three fairs, three blocks
Greg Jones
The most important feature of this weekend, said Fairhaven Tourism Director Christopher Richard, is three fairs within a three-block walking distance of each other in the town center on Saturday, December 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. People will be able to spend time at the Holiday Marketplace at the Unitarian Memorial Church, 102 Green St., The Old Brick Church Fair at the First Congregational Church, 34 Center St., and the Town Hall Shops at Fairhaven Town Hall, 40 Centre St.
The South Coast Insider / November 2013
7
YOUR HEALTH
Harvesting the Earth’s bounty by Joyce Rowley
The growing season is over, and now it’s time to enjoy the bounty of the harvest. At How on Earth in Mattapoisett, manager Tim Ellis Cole is ready to showcase some of that bounty in an Autumn Harvest Beer Dinner on November 14, 2013. The four-course gourmet meal uses a locally sourced menu beginning with an “amuse bouche” of smoked chicken croquettes and ending with sweet potato semifredo and cranberry compote. “We wanted to provide a special dining experience for our year-round clientele,” said Ellis Cole. “We’re also inviting the farmers to the table to create a human association with the food in the area.” How on 8
Earth hopes that by holding “meeting” dinners, their guests get an opportunity to see food from the farmers’ perspective. “It helps them understand what it takes to get food from the farm to the plate,” Ellis Cole said. The farmers can talk about what type of growing season they’ve had, what goes into raising produce and livestock, and what practices are used to ensure that the food is healthful while sustaining the Earth, too.
Sustainable farming Seared pork bellies, the main meat course, and vegetables will come from
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Chef Chris Chaput, left, and manager Tim Ellis Cole.
Round the Bend Farm in Dartmouth. Like How on Earth, the farm is one of several local ventures created by the non-profit Marion Institute founders Michael and Margie Baldwin to reconnect people to the world around them. Round the Bend is a 39acre working farm that promotes sustainability and a shift in thinking towards community-supported systems. Round the Bend cattle, dairy cows, pigs, and sheep are raised free-range. Premised on a zero-waste philosophy, the farm keeps up the Yankee farming tradition of “waste not, want not” by using the animal manure compost from their livestock as fertilizer on their market garden. “It's been a good year. Our crops are healthy and vigorous,” said farm manager Geoff Kinder. “We grow
market garden vegetables on about three-quarters of an acre and we work about 30 acres of pasture.” Kinder said that the farm grows a diverse array of vegetables with several varieties of onions, squashes, greens and, of course, corn, tomatoes, and eggplant. The Marion Institute purchased the farm property last spring after running it for five years, said Liz Wiley, program director for Round the Bend. In the next two years they plan on adding the “Center for Restorative Community,” an educational center that will offer classes to local residents and students from Bristol County Agricultural High School.
Community farm support How on Earth also partners with Copicut Farm, an 88-acre family farm located
in North Dartmouth, MA, for the dinner’s chicken and eggs. Rather than see Copicut Farm as a competitor, How on Earth and Round the Bend views the farm as part of a larger community of growers and entrepreneurs who provide non-altered local food using sustainable farming practices. “We are pleased to have been working with How on Earth for two years now. They are a wonderful establishment that thoughtfully supplies healthy and local foods to the community,” said Elizabeth Frary, who started the farm with her husband Vincent two years ago. Both are fourthgeneration farmers that wanted their fouryear-old son to be raised on a farm, too. Copicut Farm chickens (and therefore the eggs) are “pasture-raised,” meaning they feed on pesticide-free pasture grasses, grain, and insects. All of the feed grains used at are free of antibiotics and hormones. Also, Copicut Farm is one of the few Massachusetts farms that are state-licensed to hand-butcher, said Frary. That means their poultry isn’t trucked, and they can ensure humane treatment throughout the process. It also ensures that no chemicals are added to the meat during cleaning, like bleach. The poultry meat is cleaned only with ice water. “We are delighted to be
part of the Harvest Dinner as we think it will be a great addition to a growing list of benefits How on Earth offers.”
Drink local! Westport-based Buzzards Bay Brewing Company will be supplying a variety of light and dark ales to accompany the dinner. Owned by the Russell family, the brewing company sits on a 380-acre farm that grows grapes and hay for local dairy farms. They also grow some of their own hops for their brew. Ellis Cole said that people may be put off by a wine culture that can be intimidating. But beer is casual, and the ales made by the 15-yearold Buzzards Bay Brewing fit nicely with the evening’s fare. With a wide assortment to choose from, Buzzards Bay India Pale Ale (IPA) tops the list, says Bill Russell. Swamp Yankee, a dark ale, will provide some heft to go with the pork bellies and heighten the flavor of the vegetables. Two pale ales, the crisp light GolDeNfLOuNder and Moby D, complement the bay scallops and desserts. The Autumn Harvest Beer Dinner is by reservation only. But don’t despair if it sells out before you can sign up. Ellis Cole said that there will be monthly dinners over the winter, including a fermented Viking Feast.
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The South Coast Insider / November 2013
9
YOUR HEALTH
Micronutrients It’s the little things that count by Elizabeth Morse Read
When you read the “Nutrition Facts” label on the food you buy, you’ll see the per-serving calorie, carbohydrate, sodium, cholesterol, protein, and fats contents. But if you continue reading, you’ll see the fine print about RDA (Recommended Daily Amount) of specific vitamins and minerals that are present, too. These are the essential micronutrients your body needs every day. Most people know that we can access vitamin C in orange juice, calcium in milk, and vitamin A in carrots. But few people have a clue as to what they should eat to access the infinitesimal but critically important trace minerals—the micronutrients. Read on and get educated.
Where do trace minerals come from? The nutritional quality of the food you eat is largely dependent upon the health of the soil it was grown in. Soil that is nourished with natural compost, instead of with toxic fertilizers and pesticides, yields fruits, grains, and vegetables that are virtually free of chemical contamination. Healthy soil also has a higher concentration of naturally-occurring micronutrients essential to your vitality and longevity. And, if that healthy soil is irrigated by glacial waters, which are very high in trace minerals, the resulting food will be even more nutritious than conventionally-grown products. People who live near rocky, glacial waters tend to live longer, healthier lives than people who don’t, and scientists think it’s at least partially because of their natural access to trace minerals like zinc, selenium and copper. People who live in places like that 10
(think Norway, Japan, Nova Scotia) also eat a lot more seafood than do people living in landlocked countries. It’s already well established that diets high in seafood are much richer in trace minerals and other good stuff like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E than you’ll find at a Happy Meal birthday party or a Super Bowl buffet or the church potluck barbecue. Food for thought…
Micronutrient deficiency In war zones, natural disaster areas, refugee camps and chronically
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
impoverished countries, starvation and malnutrition are an ever-present threat, especially for children, pregnant women, the elderly and the chronically ill. Extreme situations like drought or crop failure or epidemic impact local agriculture, food distribution systems and, ultimately, proper nutrition. Whatever the cause, too little of the trace minerals can lead to chronic deficiencies and debilitating disorders like iron deficiency, which leads to anemia, the most common form of malnutrition worldwide. We have seen the ravages of kwashiorkor (protein deficiency) in the swollen bellies of Biafran children, the malformed leg bones of children with rickets (vitamin D deficiency). Too little iodine in the diet is the most common (but preventable) cause of mental retardation worldwide. But deficiencies in trace minerals in the Western diet are completely unnecessary—and irresponsible.
Overfed but undernourished Trace mineral deficiencies in the developed world are largely a result of Western-style agriculture, commercially-processed food products and our own everyday food choices. The modern Western diet is not conducive to long-term health, in part because so much of what we eat has been
processed and stripped of trace elements, the micronutrients that help maintain proper development and functioning of our bodies. We need a steady flow of these micronutrients for proper functioning of the many systems and processes in our bodies throughout our lives. Refined and processed foods have been bleached-and-leached of the natural micronutrients we need—and then they get pumped full of the commercial chemical version of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that got stripped out in the first place. Throw in preservatives, colorings, and a lot of other unnecessary ingredients and you’ve got a veritable witch’s brew of unhealthy stuff on your plate. And this is what the majority of Americans are eating every day, if only because it’s cheap, accessible and fast. Obesity and cardiovascular disease and diabetes are rampant in the “land of plenty” as a result.
A dangerous export When people in developing countries switch over to the modern Western diet, they quickly succumb to the degenerative ailments and shortened life span that plague Americans and Europeans. They stop eating the fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and fish of their ancestors, and consume the fatty, salty, empty-calorie junk food so typical in America. According to a United Nations study, the prevalence of starvation, malnutrition and chronic undernutrition in developing countries like China, Egypt,
Mexico, the Philippines and India has plummeted in recent decades, a result of improving economies and greater access to foods. Likewise, infectious diseases have been rapidly declining as each country’s economic fortunes and public health services have improved. However, these countries are now seeing new problems resulting from the introduction of Western-style diets, especially the consumption of meats, salt and processed foods: overnutrition resulting in obesity and an increase in non-infectious degenerative diseases like diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease. In China, 23 percent of the adult population is now either overweight or obese, and diet-related chronic diseases have become the leading cause of death. In Egypt now, more children are overweight than underweight, which is a dangerous trend given that early-onset obesity can lead to Type 2 diabetes. In all of these countries, especially in urban areas, increasing incomes has meant greater access to non-vegetable-based foods and processed foods, and the results are proving deadly.
Should you take supplements? It’s important that you get your daily dose of micronutrients from the foods you eat, rather than from pill-form supplements you can buy at CVS or Wal-Mart. Too often, people will take more than the recommended daily amount (RDA) of these supplements, and that could backfire. For example, while deficiencies of
zinc, copper or selenium can cause infertility or skin disorders, if you take too much of them in pill form, there could be toxic consequences. Better you should find the needed “supplement” by changing your diet and eating foods that have a higher concentration of whatever it is you’re lacking. Here’s a simple example. In many countries over many centuries, older men deliberately eating a lot of shellfish (like oysters, which just happens to be very high in zinc) was a folk “recipe” for long-term virility. (That factoid should sound vaguely familiar to some people…) But if shellfish is a budgetbuster for you, make sure you switch to iodized sea salt, which contain naturally-occurring trace minerals, and eat more canned shellfish (clams, oysters, shrimp…) whenever you can’t find or afford fresh. (Chowder is good for you.) Take trace mineral or vitamin supplements only on the specific advice of your doctor or dietician. Postmenopausal women will probably need vitamin D supplements, pregnant women will need more iron and calcium, and children need everything in steady supply. Except in extenuating circumstances (e.g., pregnancy, serious illness), you should be able to access everything your body needs just by eating a balanced diet. You can meet your minimum daily nutritional needs by eating a variety of healthful foods every day. For more info go to www.choosemyplate.gov.
Nana knows best…
No matter what your ethnic heritage, you can get healthier and access a lot of your needed trace minerals by eating more soups, stews, and bean dishes/chili every week. Get the recipe from granny and learn how to make your own, freeze some for quick dinners or ready-to-eat lunches. Here on the South Coast, we’ve all eaten the following homemade comfort foods at one time or another:
French-Canadian pea soup (with leftover ham bone)
n
n
Clam or fish chowder (no tomatoes, please)
n
Portuguese kale soup
n
Minestrone (Italian vegetable soup)
n
Black bean soup (a Hispanic classic)
n
n
Polish cabbage soup (a.k.a. borscht)
n
New England baked beans (especially on Saturday nights) n
English-Irish barley soup (lamb or beef)
Three-bean salad (not just for picnics anymore…)
Turkey rice soup (especially after Thanksgiving) n Chicken noodle soup (a.k.a. Jewish penicillin) n
The South Coast Insider / November 2013
11
Choosing your plate… Sure, you want to buy food that will be tasty and affordable, but the proper absorption of any vitamin or mineral you just ingested is the real goal. You can amp up what gets absorbed by being more conscious of what’s on your plate. For example, foods high in vitamin C improve the proper absorption of almost all vitamins and minerals, so always include fruits or vegetables high in vitamin C as a regular side for every meal.
Calcium, so important for healthy
bones and teeth, is present in many foods, but it cannot be properly absorbed in the absence of vitamin D, which comes from sunshine (think photosynthesis), so vitamin D supplements may be necessary in the winter months if you don’t eat a lot of oily fish, kale, fortified milk or fortified cereals. (Kale soup is good for you.) That’s why our grandparents got dosed with nasty nostrums like cod liver oil during the dark months. But certain combinations of foods, when eaten together, can actually block or negate absorption of vitamins and trace minerals, no matter how much good stuff you eat. For instance, tea and coffee block absorption, so drink orange juice instead of tea or coffee with your meals. And it gets worse. Alcohol, sugar and caffeine will actually deplete your body’s store of micronutrients, which thereby increases your need for whatever got cancelled on the morning after the night before. I think this is called a “hangover.” Read the “Nutrition Facts” fine print on your groceries to make sure that you are regularly consuming foods that provide the micronutrients you need. Just from my own pantry, for example–a 6.5 oz. can of chopped clams contains almost a third of my daily selenium requirement. The raisin bran I eat every morning gives me 25 percent of both my daily iron and zinc requirements. All it takes is some mindfulness when you shop. Read the fine print before you put it in your shopping cart. Here are some of the most important trace minerals, many you’ve probably never heard of before:
12
Iron: Remember Popeye and his can
Manganese is critical to the
Iodine is so critical to our health that
Fluoride is a partner with calcium in the proper formation and maintenance of our teeth and bones, as well as in cavity prevention. It has been added to public water supplies in most parts of the US since the 1940s, and has been a controversial topic in some circles ever since. In the 1950s and ‘60s, it was decried as a Communist plot to undermine public health, and/or as “compulsory mass medication,” thereby an assault on Constitutional rights. (Why does that rant still sound so familiar?) Many European countries add fluoride to salt, instead of to water. Too little fluoride in the diet can lead to bone loss and tooth decay, but it is naturally available in saltwater fish, cheese, coffee and tea, organ meats, seaweed, as well as in fluoridated-water, salt and toothpaste.
of spinach? Iron is essential for transporting oxygen from our lungs via our blood throughout the body, especially to muscle cells. It plays an important role in the proper functioning of calcium, copper and B vitamins. It is also a key factor essential for proper growth, immune function and healing. The body’s absorption of iron can be blocked by drinking too much tea, which might explain why iron deficiency is quite common in the British Isles. Good sources of iron are beef, fish, molasses, beets, chicken, spinach, peaches, raisins, beans and whole grains. Too little iron can cause chronic fatigue and anemia. Women of childbearing age and children, especially, need an iron-rich diet.
it has been added to table salt in the US since 1924. It helps protect against breast cancer. It is critical for proper functioning of the thyroid gland: too little iodine can cause goiter and, in pregnant women, irreversible brain damage in the fetus. Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of mental retardation worldwide. Yet iodine is readily available in asparagus, milk, seafood/shellfish, garlic, sunflower seeds, seaweed, eggs, soy milk and iodized salt. Like zinc, iodine is involved in multiple bodily systems.
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
formation and functioning of enzymes throughout our body, and it is essential for the proper functioning of vitamins C and E. It helps bones and wounds to heal, and functions as an antioxidant. Beans, berries, seaweed, ginger, nuts, pineapple and whole grains are good sources of manganese.
Selenium along with vitamin E, se-
lenium works as an antioxidant to prevent cell damage, including some cancers. It also helps maintain proper functioning of the thyroid gland and slows the aging process. Low selenium levels can increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. As with iodine, too little selenium in a pregnant woman’s diet can lead to mental retardation. Foods rich in selenium include shellfish, nuts, canned tuna, cottage cheese, oatmeal, brown rice and meat.
Copper is a natural antioxidant, and thereby helps prevent cell damage; it is also essential for the formation of healthy blood cells, connective tissue and bones. Too little copper in your diet can lead to arterial weakness, which can cause aneurysms. A copper deficiency also raises cholesterol levels. People who survive on junk food are at high risk of copper deficiency. It is readily available in grapes, organ meats, shellfish, chocolate, beans, seaweed and whole-grains.
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Molybdenum may be unpro-
nounceable, but molybdenum maintains proper cell and enzyme functioning, detoxifies the body, prevents cavities, and protects against certain cancers. Whole-grains, milk, barley, beans, milk, legumes and nuts are good sources of molybdenum. (Barley soup is good for you.)
Zinc affects virtually all of our bodily
systems and processes: it supports the body’s immune system, the formation of enzymes, and blood clotting. It’s also important for normal brain development, skin health, and our senses of smell and taste. Too little zinc in fetuses and children has been linked to dyslexia. A deficiency in adults can trigger a drop in testosterone and libido. Vegetarians and people on low-protein diets are at risk of zinc deficiency. You can get the necessary amount of zinc in your diet by regularly eating eggs, whole grains, red meats, nuts and seeds, shellfish, lamb, maple syrup and yoghurt.
Chromium is critical for the proper functioning of insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. It also plays a role in metabolizing proteins, fats and carbohydrates. A chromium-deficient diet can increase the risk of diabetes. Cheese, whole grains, mushrooms, molasses, black pepper, brewer’s yeast and nuts are good sources of chromium.
Novembert 7
Potassium, while technically not a
trace mineral, is so critical to our health that it bears special mention. Potassium is an electrolyte which helps conduct electrical charges throughout our body, maintains normal blood levels and nerve transmission, and is important for kidney health and stable blood pressure. It normally acts in balanced concert with sodium and other electrolytes, but our American diet has shifted too far into salty processed foods, and our potassium levels have dropped as a result. People who experience sudden bodily fluid loss, whether through perspiration, diarrhea or excessive vomiting, need to replenish their body’s potassium supply quickly. That’s why athletes drink special “sports drinks” that have added electrolytes (think Pedialyte for infants). Eating potassium-rich foods regularly is sufficient for most people. Best sources are Swiss chard, bananas, sweet potatoes, nuts, citrus fruits, spinach and beans, especially lima beans. Be aware that boiling leafy green vegetables destroys a lot of the potassium, so try steaming them instead. Chronic potassium deficiency is linked to high blood pressure, infertility, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and digestive disorders.
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A recipe for better health
Did you notice that the same foods were mentioned over and over in the descriptions above? When was the last time you ate (unsalted) nuts and seeds or fresh shellfish or lima beans or Swiss chard or barley or lamb or whole-grain anything? Sounds a lot like the food your grandparents ate back in the old country, doesn’t it? Optimal health and longevity is as much a function of your diet as it is of your genetic inheritance and your current environment. You can’t change the first, and it’s not always easy to change the second, but you can take control of what you eat and thereby your long-term health. Bon appétit! The South Coast Insider / November 2013
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The South Coast Insider / November 2013
15
WHAT’S COOKING
Rethinking broccoli by Paul Letendre
When we think of November we think of Thanksgiving and turkey. What is more ceremonially festive than sitting with family and friends admiring and overindulging in an enormous bird and traditional sides of stuffing, squash, potatoes, cranberries and green beans? The eyes have it A lot of chefs will tell you that we eat with our eyes. Obviously that’s not literally true, but we do decide what to eat with our eyes. We also pre-judge what something will taste like and whether we will like it or not by looking at it. Just the thought of that beautiful bird in the center of the table makes one long for Thanksgiving. The problem with that enormous turkey is that our eyes become big-
ger than our stomachs—we eat too much—but we never eat it all. Inevitably, we have so many turkey leftovers that we end up ignoring that big bird until next Thanksgiving. Our November meal plans should include some items that help us to forget turkey. Italian food usually makes for a good antidote to turkey overdose. This might have to do with the unilateral Italian refusal to recognize turkey as a palatable bird. Broccoli rabe with orecchiette and
sausage, a traditional southern Italian dish, is an easy-to-make meal that is especially delicious when the weather starts to turn chilly. It is not generally found in restaurants—probably because it plates so poorly—it has such poor eye appeal. The visual aesthetic of this dish is nil; it is an array of beige and brown and pale green, kind of like a drab November landscape. That is part of the magic of this dish: its taste is so much more appealing than its look.
Rabe by any other name Broccoli rabe, the dominating ingredient, is also called raab, rapa, rapine, rapone, Italian broccoli, Chinese broccoli, turnip broccoli and probably a host of other names. Rabe is a hearty vegetable; there is nothing delicate about its consistency or flavor. It has no relations in the broccoli family, but it kind of looks like a funky broccoli. It tastes nothing like broccoli. It is doubtful that you’ll ever see it served as a side dish alone; its taste is bitter, if not awful. Think of broccoli rabe as you would lemon: when artfully blended with certain other ingredients, it can become a transcending flavor enhancement. Italian and Chinese recipes use it extensively. 16
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Orecchiette is a small ear-shaped pasta. The word means “little ear.” Traditionally it was handmade by pressing a thumb onto a cut strip of pasta. The thumb imprint would give it that ear-like shape. It serves especially well for this dish because the crumbled sausage tends to nest in the indents of the pasta yielding a flavorful taste combination to each bite. Be sure to use good quality pasta made with Durham semolina that uses a slow dry process. DeCecco is the most readily available in our marketplace. Quality pasta will stand up to reheating—leftovers are good only when the pasta doesn’t break down. DeCecco also has the more distinct flavor than other easily obtainable pastas.
Almost ‘fast food’ Start to finish, this is a 30-40 minute meal. Put a stock pot with four to six quarts of salted water on high heat. Rabe usually comes tied together in bunches. Untie and trim three to four inches of the stiff stem; you can trash these. Rinse the leafs and broccoli-like florets. Remove the casings from the sausage and chop the sausage meat, hold aside. Either mince the garlic or run it through a garlic press and set aside. When the water starts to boil throw in the cleaned rabe for about a minute, then remove it with the tongs and shock it in some icy water. This last step keeps the rabe from turning brown. After a minute or so, drain the rabe through the colander and put it aside. Keep that same large pot of water on the heat; you’ll want to cook the orecchiette in the same water as the rabe was cooked in. The pasta will pick up a tinge of the rabe flavor—it’s a small step that adds to the delicate balance of this robust dish. Then take a large skillet—iron works best—heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped Italian sausage. Stir with the wooden ladle and continue to break the sausage into pieces until browned (10-12 minutes). In between stirring the sausage, put the orecchiette into the water. Set a
timer for 7 or 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. You’ll want the pasta to cook to al dente, tender but with a firm bite. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; give it a few stirs with the ladle, then sauté for about two minutes. Now take that broccoli rabe and stir it into the oils, juices and sausage in the skillet. Test the orecchiette, it should taste almost done, but not finished. It will continue cooking for a while after it is removed from the heat. Drain the orecchiette in the colander and toss the whole thing into the skillet with the other ingredients. It is easier to plate using a serving spoon and the tongs; otherwise the rabe tends to fall back into the pan. Grate the fresh Parmesan over each plated portion. It won’t look pretty but it will taste like heaven.
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Tools: n
Stock pot – 8 or 10 quart
n Skillet, fry or sauté pan – use iron skillet if available n
Colander
Sharp knife, tongs, cutting board, wooden ladle or spoon, cheese grater, garlic press (optional) n
Ingredients: n 2 bunches of broccoli rabe, stems trimmed n
1 pound of orecchiette pasta
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3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pound of Italian sausage, casings removed (sweet or hot, to your taste) n
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3 cloves garlic, minced
n Pinch of dried crushed pepper flakes n Parmesan cheese (if you can find Bertinelli red or black label, it is well worth the extra money)
The South Coast Insider / November 2013
17
COVER STORY
football rivalry runs deep by Sean McCarthy
Great games are made by great memories. The come-from-behind heroics. The big play. The unpredictable game-changer. The unforgettable performance.
I
n 103 years of one of the state’s most intense and contentious rivalries, Durfee and New Bedford’s Thanksgiving Day football battle has given area sports fans many a scrapbook moment. It is the final game of the year; a game that could save a season or ruin it, something for one city to remember and something for the other city to forget. Durfee vs. New Bedford is Red Sox vs. Yankees and the turkey tastes much, much better with a “W” on T-Day. Ask those who’ve been there. For quarterback Bino Dias, New Bedford’s 1965 win over Durfee would be the most gratifying of his career. It would also be the most costly. As New Bedford marched towards the end zone on their first drive of 18
the game, they were poised to score at the five-yard line. Dias kept the ball on a bootleg play. Targeting the end zone, his passion inspired him to do something he might not have done otherwise: dive for paydirt. But before he could find the end zone he was hit by Durfee’s Carl FitzGerald, stopping him short of a score. The hit did significant damage, tearing his ACL and MCL, but it was presumed at the time that it was only a pulled hamstring. Dias was given a shot of Novocaine and was sent back into the game. “I told the trainer, ‘Do whatever you can to take away the pain,’” Dias recalls. “If it had been another team I might have taken myself out of the game, but it was Durfee. My adrenaline was really flowing.
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
“I couldn’t feel a thing in my leg,” he recalls. “By the third quarter I would have to be carried back to the huddle by my teammates after each play. My knee kept locking on me.” A winning season New Bedford went on to win 22-0, but the game had more significance than a defeat of Durfee. The win marked the first time that a New Bedford team would defeat powerhouses Brockton, Weymouth, and Durfee in the same season. As for Dias, he would undergo surgery five days after the Durfee game and was faced with the knowledge that he would have to forgo a sports scholarship to Murray State in Kentucky. Dias would go on to be a
Certified Public Accountant. The 2007 rivalry would become one of Durfee’s most historic, and the Hilltoppers would get a lesson in “never give up.” DOWN TO THE WIRE With only 51 seconds left in the game, Durfee trailed New Bedford, 34-30, and the Hilltoppers had possession of the ball 75 yards from the end zone. The Durfee players were despondent, but Head Coach Steve Winarski refused to let his team quit, trying to inspire them verbally to make a strong last stand. That stand began on the first play when Ronnie Thomas connected for a 45-yard pass play to Cameron Pontes. It was the play that reinvigorated Durfee’s determination. The Hilltoppers ran the ball to the 20-yard line, but then saw
Aldrich Field, and the victory marked the first time since the 1950s that the Hilltoppers beat the Whalers in three consecutive seasons. For New Bedford High Coach Wayne Hamlet, his final game on Thanksgiving Day against Durfee in 2003 was a day for the unpredictable. A NEW UNIFORM Something was obviously different from the moment the Whalers came out of the locker room to take the field. After coaching every game in his 30year career in his trademark red shorts and a t-shirt, Hamlet’s attire that day was khaki pants, a white shirt and a red tie, an outfit he’d never worn on the side lines. Hamlet was sending a message. “I was 90 percent sure it was going
You’d do whatever it took to win that game because if you lost you’d never forget it.
Quality and Service since 1921 victory taken away from them when a penalty caused a touchdown to be called back. But Durfee still craved victory. With 18 seconds to play, Winarski turned to sophomore tight end Bobby Hall to produce the winning score. “Bobby told me he didn’t know the play we were calling,” Winarski says. “So I told him to just run towards the cameraman in the corner of the endzone.” Hall followed orders, caught a 12-yard pass in the endzone from Thomas and victory would belong to Durfee, 37-34. “I’m glad that cameraman stayed in the corner of the endzone and didn’t move,” Winarski says. But there were other notable factors that day. It was the first time Durfee hosted New Bedford at their new Mac
to be my last game coaching,” he says. “Deep inside I felt it and I wanted to do something a little out of character for my last game.” And for two New Bedford players, they both turned in unpredictable performances that would lead the Whalers to a Thanksgiving Day win. Trailing 14-0 in the first quarter, New Bedford senior Steve Almeida was moved from nose tackle to fullback and responded even better than hoped for, picking up five to seven yards per carry and providing valuable big third-and fourth-down plays. The other unpredictable positive came from tailback Cecil Lopes, who would rush over 100 yards and score two touchdowns–all in the second half. Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page And there were a few more unpredictable things to come from Hamlet: he carried on his Thanksgiving Day tradition by challenging Durfee with “crazy formations” that were occasionally added to the game plan to deliberately surprise and frustrate the Hilltoppers. His “razzle-dazzle” plays usually forced Durfee timeouts and kept the Hilltoppers guessing. Hamlet would end his coaching career with a 32-22 win. Nick Salmon has had the opportunity that few Durfee and New Bedford players have had: the chance to participate on both sides of the rivalry. Salmon was a tight end, defensive end and punter for the Hilltoppers and helped defeat New Bedford in his senior year in 1983. But years later he would help coach the Whalers to victory in a 2004 thriller that marked the first year he was on the New Bedford sidelines. “I remember that game 30 years ago like it was yesterday,” Salmon recalls. “I remember the weather: it was overcast and slightly drizzly, and a little warm for that time of year. The mood in the locker room was uptight and nervous but very excited and confident. New Bedford wasn’t having a great year and we had some major players returning from injuries. We’d been hammering each other really hard in practice and when we ran out on the field there was a feeling of great excitement and camaraderie.” Durfee would go on to win, 17-7. “I was on the basketball team that won the state championship that year,” Salmon says. “But that football game was the greatest win of my high school career. I’ll reflect on that game every Thanksgiving until I die.” But 2004’s emotions were different 20
as Salmon prepared to take to the New Bedford sideline as a coach and try to defeat the team he gave four important years of his life to. “I remember being alone in the New Bedford conference room in the fieldhouse and I was literally breaking down because it was so weird how I’d been programmed for so long to beat New Bedford, and now I was facing my alma mater. It was tough, but once I got on the field it went away and the competitive instinct took over.”
The 1965 New Bedford Whalers look prepared for the camera, but their focus was on their season-ending duel with Durfee. After losing their Thanksgiving Day rivalry in each of the past two seasons, the Whalers would go on to thwart the Hilltoppers, 22-0. In the upper photo the camera catches the New Bedford starting 11, while the lower photo depicts the entire team. All photos courtesy Bino Dias.
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
New Bedford edged out a win that year, 14-13. Today Salmon is a teacher at New Bedford High School. Pat Walsh recalls two Durfee games while playing center for New Bedford. And the difference between those two seasons could hardly have been any more dramatic. THE WEATHER FACTOR In 1967 New Bedford had only one win as they headed into their game with Durfee, a team with seven wins to its credit. And while the Whalers were poised for a probable defeat, they got some help from the heavens. Rain. “It was The Mud Bowl,” Walsh recalls of the game. “There was a torrential downpour and there wasn’t much movement on either side of the ball. The game was tied 0-0, but Durfee had the ball on our 25-yard line with only a few seconds left in the game.” And that’s when the Whalers got the play that would let them walk off the field with their heads a little higher than they had anticipated. “When they kicked the ball, Tom Farias was able to deflect the ball and the game ended as a 0-0 tie. It was as good as a win,” Walsh says. But at the end of that dramatic Durfee match, New Bedford Head Coach Joe Bettencourt addressed his players in the locker room with words that would ring prophetic. “We are never going to have another season like this again.” The next year the Whalers would go undefeated, closing their season with a 13-6 defeat of Durfee. Joe Kazen has a lot of memories that come from wearing a Durfee uniform. But the greatest lesson he learned about sports–and the Durfee and New
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Bedford rivalry in particular–came when he was at his absolute lowest. A 150-pound sophomore on an 0-8 team, Kazen and the Hilltoppers began their Thanksgiving of 1984 with a 14-0 first quarter advantage. The young Kazen firmly believed his team was going to win the game and stage an historic upset. But the day would not play out the way Kazen or any of the Durfee contingent would have liked. Before the first half was complete Durfee’s lead was gone. Kazen missed not one but two tackles that allowed New Bedford into the end zone twice, perilously changing the momentum, and giving New Bedford a 15-14 halftime lead that would eventually become a 28-14 win. “When we went into the locker room I was crying hysterically. I was certain that I had lost the game for the whole team,” Kazen recalls. “I was hyperventilating, I couldn’t control myself.” And that’s when he appeared. “I looked up and I saw Joe Andrews walk into the locker room,” Kazen says. “Everyone knows that Joe Andrews played for Durfee in the 1940s and was the greatest athlete to ever come out of this school. He came into the locker room to inspire the team. He saw me and came over and started telling me that we had another entire half of football and we had to pick ourselves up. But what I remember more than what he said was the look on his face. It really mattered to him that we kept fighting. I could see that after 40 years this game still meant something to him.” But for Kazen, Andrews’ locker room enthusiasm was only the tip of the iceberg. “I began learning in my freshman year how important the New Bedford game is by watching the seniors and how intensely they prepared for it. Throughout my years at Durfee I saw that passion get passed down to the younger players. But it wasn’t just important to the athletes, it was important to the whole school. “You’d do whatever it took to win that game because if you lost you’d never forget it.”
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www.faxonarl.org The South Coast Insider / November 2013
21
COVER STORY
by Jay Pateakos
For many people in the South Coast, the Sakonnet River bridge was always something they just passed over on the way to Bristol, Portsmouth or Newport, RI. It’s a bridge and that’s what people do…they drive over it, not thinking too much about it. But if that same bridge suddenly cost $5 to cross over for you to travel to restaurants in Portsmouth or to walk the cobblestones of Newport’s Thames Street, chances are you’d pay a little more attention—just before you avoid it completely. Once the new Sakonnet River bridge, which connects Tiverton to Portsmouth, RI, broke ground in 2009, talk of instituting tolls on the bridge were heard through Aquidneck Island (Rhode Island’s largest island), housing the likes of Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport, RI, but few thought it would actually happen. After all, Newport County already had a toll—one on the Newport Bridge—and putting a second one in the county, since it would also be the second one in the entire state, seemed unfair to many people, especially those on Aquidneck Island who used the Sakonnet daily to go back and forth to work. (Newport Bridge tolls are .83 for RI EZPass users and $2 for regular travelers). 22
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
The older Sakonnet River bridge, a truss bridge, was closed in 2012 when the new bridge, a box girder bridge at a cost of $163.7 million, opened in September. Months later, residents were informed that there would indeed be a toll. The cost would be 75 cents for RI residents with a RI EZPass transponder, $3.75 for EZPass transponders from other states, and $5.25 for those that don’t have a transponder. But if there is anything you are going to get out of this story, it’s how a group of people can change the course of history. Portsmouth resident Jeanne Smith, who helped to form STOP "Stop Toll Opposition Platform” in the wake of the toll announcement, said she kept a low profile about 18 months ago because she, like most other Aquidneck Island residents, never thought there’d be another toll in Newport County. Providence has the new I-Way Bridge and Pawtucket has its new bridge over I-95 as well, neither of which are tolled. “I was not on the eight-ball back then because our reps and senators were saying there would be no toll. When the governor ended up signing the bill saying there would indeed be a toll, I was stunned,” said Smith, who works in Massachusetts and takes the Sakonnet at least twice a day. “The last year and a half, we started out small, and we’ve grown. We’ve traveled to the statehouse so many times.” While many people consider that one voice may not make a difference, Smith and her group, which included Portsmouth’s Clements Marketplace General Manager Tracy Anthony and contractor and real estate seller John Vitkevich and dozens of others, became relentless. Calls were made to local and state officials daily. RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) were besieged with complaints.
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Continued on next page The South Coast Insider / November 2013
23
R EPU R POS E v R EC YCL E v R EUS E v R EPU R POS E v R EC YCL E v R EUS E
To toll or not to toll
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Stressing that the decision would be a temporary one until more research was done, RITBA instituted 10-cent tolls on the bridge starting August 19. Dubbing it an honor system, the state would only deduct the dime from existing EZPass accounts. Unlike other tolls along I-90 or I-95 in New Hampshire and Maine, there are no toll takers or bins to throw dimes in. Right now, EZPass customers lose a dime each way but those who don’t have an EZPass haven’t lost any money. Yet. State records show that since August 19, they’ve raised about $80,000 from the dime toll in the first 45 days since the toll went in. But with an estimated 40,000 cars traveling over the bridge each day, the toll hasn’t exactly been a cash cow either. If every commuter paid, the state would have made approximately $4,000 each day, or about $180,000 in that same 45-day span. That’s $100,000 that’s not being paid out in tolls. Anthony said the impact of the dime toll has not yet been felt because most people continue to drive the bridge without fear of repercussions. But state officials, in a recent “Providence Journal” article, say they will begin billing those cars whose license plates are photographed more than 25 times. Like the tolls themselves, this is just another way to hurt businesses that survive on customers crossing the Sakonnet River bridge hassle free, Anthony said. “The biggest problem is that bridges are a deterrent, as it is for many people, and to put a toll on it would kill commerce in our area,” said Anthony, whose parents Don and Barbara opened Clement’s Marketplace in 1980. “There’s a lot of business that comes back and forth over that bridge each day and it will all go away. Many people don’t feel the need to buy an EZPass if they live on the other side of the bridge and they are certainly not going to dish out $5 to go over the bridge. They’ll just skip it and go somewhere else.” Contractor John Vitkevich created
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
www.donttoll.com for the latest toll news and how people can help the fight. Vitkevich, who goes by “Vit,” is the group’s stat man, the one that helps keep the group motivated and on course. Vit said the Sakonnet River bridge, despite being open for more than a year, has not been determined to be “substantially complete” yet, which was the reason the tolls were so quickly put in place August 19 before anyone saw it coming. If they hadn’t been, once the bridge was determined to be substantially complete, the state would not have been able to put a toll up at all after that. Vit said he knows in the end, tolls will be eliminated from the bridge; it’s just a matter of when. Until then, he preaches for commuters to not pay a dime, so to speak, and now even questions the legality of the new rule to start charging commuters based on their license plates showing up over 25 times. “To me it’s a question of equity. How can the state toll two bridges in Newport County, one on each side? If you’re going to do two tolls here, I want to see two tolls in Kent, Washington, Bristol and Providence Counties too,” said Vit. “If this keeps up, you might as well just make Little Compton and Tiverton part of Massachusetts because no one will want to come to this side.” Smith said the Governor Lincoln Chaffee recently established a commission to look at the toll issue, with results to come by January. Despite this, state officials have noted that they plan to eventually raise the dime toll, but have not said when or for how much.
A virtual gated community Calls to the RIDOT for comment were abruptly directed to RITBA Chairman David Darlington, who did not return numerous calls for comment for this article. Smith said if the bridge ends up with a hefty toll, it will be the equivalent of making Aquidneck Island into a gated community, one without a key. Smith said while getting the toll reduced was a victory, the battle is far from over. “It’s been a long journey and people have always told us not to fight it, that
it was a done deal. But many of us believe there should be no toll and we will not stop until these is no toll. This is a commuter bridge, this isn’t the spot for a toll,” Smith said. “There may be plenty of people that do not go over the bridge every day, but would they want to pay $5 when they do? We haven’t even begun to realize how much this will hurt businesses. It will put a chokehold on this island. That’s how I feel and that’s what it will be.” Anthony said recent stats she received for her store reported 30 percent of her customers travel over the Sakonnet Bridge to get to her supermarket each day. Worse yet is that 40 percent of her employees use the bridge to come to work each day. The impact of a high toll would be devastating from all sides, Anthony said, with workers, like customers, finding it cheaper to stay and work or shop in Massachusetts. “We know this isn’t over yet and that it wasn’t going to be that easy,” she said. “It’s not just my business. Think of all the small, seasonal businesses on the island. The ones that Massachusetts residents visit three, four times each summer. They’re not going to get an EZPass. They will just find somewhere else to go.” Anthony, like many businesses, feel their tax money is going to pay for roads and bridges in the state and establishing a toll as well is similar to double-dipping. “At this point, East Bay pays for all of RI, in taxes and everything, meaning we pay for all the bridges in RI. Is that fair for Aquidneck Island to get tolled and pay for all the bridges in the state?” added Smith. “I truly believe when this is all said and done, that our commission comes forward and there will be no toll. If the governor believes that a commission can come up with the magic solution to fix this in a matter of three months, then he is doing some mighty fine drugs.” And if the commission comes back and suggests that a toll needs to remain in force? “I’ll stay with the optimism,” Smith added.
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25
COVER STORY
Keeping score by Nancy Kernan
Remember that teacher you had in school that was known as the “Hard Marker?” Well, welcome to the world of credit scores. This puts a whole new light on “hard marking.” Why so “hard?” Because one bad year of late or missed payments can wipe out 10 years of good credit history. What is the equivalent of a “straight A” credit score? That would be a score of 850. I have never seen one but that is the best. A low score, on the other hand, would be something in the low 500s. An achievable, good score is something around 740 or higher. If your credit scores are 740 or above you are most likely already getting the best rates for your purchases. If the credit score is lower than that, you could reap some real benefits, in terms of lifestyle and finances, with a higher score. That low score is costing you more money in almost everything you do. A gallon of gas will cost the same, but the interest you pay on the credit card you use to buy the gas will be higher. 26
Improve your credit score If you don’t have one already, get a credit card. If your score is in the low 600s or high 500s, then you will need to apply for a secured credit card. To get one of these cards, you deposit $500 with your local bank or credit union. You then buy items with the credit card and pay the bills on time, every month, for anything from six months to a year, depending on your credit score at the start. Your score will improve. Make sure that the bank or credit union reports to all three of the credit bureaus, Experian, Trans Union and Equifax. Add an installment loan—you’ll get the fastest improvement in your score if you show you’re responsible with both major credit cards and installment loans, such as personal loans, car
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
loans, mortgages and student loans. Pay down your credit cards: if your credit card limit is $5,000 and your balance is higher than $2,500 you need to get it down to half or less of the limit of the card. Use your cards responsibly: racking up big balances hurts your score, even if you pay your bill in full each month. Check your limits: your score might be artificially low if your lender is showing a lower limit than you actually have. Most credit card issuers will quickly update this information if you ask them. Old cards: the older your credit history is the better. Lenders like long, healthy trade lines. Good will: if you have been a good customer and the lending company has a record of a late payment,
whether it was in error or an honest mistake, ask them to have it removed. Most companies will do that it you are a good customer Dispute old “bad debts.” Perhaps you disagreed with your phone company over an unfair bill a few years ago, resulting in a collection account. You protest that it is an error; the bill is not yours. The older and smaller a collection account the more likely it is that the collection agency won’t bother to verify it when the credit bureau investigates your dispute. But it is up to them.
What matters Late payments, charge-offs, collection or other negative items. Credit limits reported as lower than they actually are. Accounts listed as “settled” (in which you paid less than the full balance); paid “derogatory” (the bill was fully paid but it took a long time). Account that are still listed as unpaid that were included in a bankruptcy. Negative items older than seven years (10 in a case of a bankruptcy) that should have automatically fallen off your credit report. Understand that your score will go down with any of the above problems, but once you clear them up your score will improve. With some people it happens very quickly, but people who have a lot of bad debt will take longer to raise their credit score. The bottom line is that you need to fix your credit if any of the items noted above appear on your report. Above all, remember that credit professionals such as myself do not pass judgements on the people we work with. We know very well that credit problems can often be the result of problems beyond your control, such as the loss of a job, health problems, medical bills or divorce. Nancy Kernan has been a banking professional for 25 years and has specialized in mortgages for the past eight years.
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Measuring progress is an important aspect of any endeavor we undertake. It can serve as positive reinforcement, such as completing the first mile of a two-mile jog. You can convince yourself that it’s all downhill (figuratively) from there. Measuring progress can also serve as discouraging and negative reinforcement, such as weighing yourself after a week of serious dieting and finding you only lost half a pound. Bummer! Measuring progress of the South Coast Rail project as it works its way through an incomprehensible maze of state and federal studies and analyses is a bit more complex than measuring your jogging or weight. The milestones are less frequent and not always clear. The bureaucratic jurisdictions can be confusing and overlapping. The evaluation criteria are not always clearly understood. Without trying to sort this all out, let me report the bottom line. The
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November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
announcement by Governor Patrick in September that the Army Corps of Engineers had released their Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is huge. This is a consolidated federal/state report that allows permitting to go forward. This is better than reaching the one-mile mark on your two-mile jog. The Corps report is more like finishing mile two of your jog and getting ready to shower and start your day.
What is the FEIS? The Army Corps has released a consolidated federal/state report that officially endorses the Stoughton route. This has been the state’s preference for
years, but it was not official until the US Army Corps of Engineers signed off. The Corps also expressed a preference for the electric option over diesel. They took five years to examine alternative routes, bus options, diesel vs. electric, grade crossings, station sites, layover sites and ridership numbers. They looked at neighborhood impacts, environmental justice, noise, visual impacts, vibration, cultural resources, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, open space, farmland, endangered species, wetlands, water resources, smart growth, and on and on. Their analysis was obviously exhaustive but hopefully will make the project immune from legal challenges. The real meaning of this finding is that the project is released from the Corps’ grasp and can now move to the next phase. This is good news but we are far from the finish line.
Install signals and grade crossing gates.
n
Undertake mitigation including sound buffering for “residential receptors” (the Corps’ word for houses).
n
n
Insurance
Purchase the trains themselves.
Remaining hurdles The $64,000 question (or $1.8 billion) remaining is how to pay for it. The legislature and the governor parried back and forth all spring over the size of the funding package for transportation, with the final package passing at a lower dollar number than Governor Patrick wanted for the state’s needs. The final law also requires funds to be expended on South Coast Rail, but funds are not specifically earmarked for this project. So what does this mean? Normally the governor makes the call on what projects to move ahead in the
The $64,000 question (or $1.8 billion) remaining is how to pay for it. What are the next steps? Project design and permits come next. We now know where we are going (i.e., what route we are following) and the Corps FEIS has given us the green light to proceed. The permits are numerous but the path is clear. There will be several components to building South Coast Rail, and in no particular order they are: Upgrade the tracks in the lower triangle (Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford). The tracks exist but are only suitable for freight at low speeds.
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Reinstall the tracks between Taunton and Stoughton. The right of way is there, but has been inactive since 1958. This will include the trestle in the Hockomock Swamp.
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Build/revamp train stations in New Bedford, Fall River, Freetown, Taunton, Raynham, Easton and Stoughton.
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spending pipeline. This is good news for the next 14 months, and then the picture turns cloudy. Deval Patrick has been the best friend that this project ever had, but he knows it will not get done on his watch. He has instructed state agencies to go full speed ahead to get the project past the point of no return. Democratic candidates vying to succeed him have lined up strongly behind the project, with Treasurer Steve Grossman the most outspoken in favor at this point. Presumptive Republican nominee Charlie Baker’s position on South Coast Rail has evolved from “no” to “maybe,” but he does not sound convincing. So the journey is not over and the trains still can’t arrive soon enough, but it certainly is appropriate to pause and celebrate before we resume this fight that will define our region. Stephen C. Smith is the executive director of SRPEDD
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29
SOUTH COAST MUSIC
(l-r): Tom Poitras, Kelsey Jacobsen, Tom O’Leary, Greg Furious
Unpacking The Moldy Suitcases by Sean McCarthy
Tom Poitras has always pursued making music that is new and different. And for the South Coast area, The Moldy Suitcases are certainly something new and different. Steeped in 1920s jazz and infused with festive zaniness, The Moldy Suitcases are a gaggle of four local musicians with a taste for the joyful and eccentric. Their music is full of swing, shuffles and shouts—an exuberant romp-and-stomp. Their debut CD takes less than a minute to bounce its way into a can kazoo solo by singer Kelsey Jacobsen, yet the most extraordinary wacky element of the band may come from the origin of their name—the fact that percussionist Tom O’Leary plays a drum kit that includes actual suitcases. “When I put the band together I was looking for folks crazy enough to play suitcases and kazoos, people with a willingness to explore instruments that aren’t standard,” Poitras says. “Instead of going to normal music stores we’re more likely to go to thrift stores, hardware stores, and recycling bins. We’re willing to explore instruments that aren’t standard.” “What we’re doing is in-your-face fun,” says bassist Greg Furious. “We approach music in a non-conventional way. I’d like to think we’re pretty unique.” 30
And the most unique facet of The Moldy Suitcases is certainly O’Leary’s drum kit, a clap-trap contraption composed almost entirely of renovated odds and ends that sounds as good as most traditional percussion instruments, and sometimes even better.
Suitcases–really! When O’Leary provides the backbone for The Moldy Suitcases he does so with a collection of items that no one else in New Bedford—or probably the world—could have invented. With some technical assistance from Furious, O’Leary has concocted a kit that includes suitcases for a bass drum and snare drum, a cigar box for a high hat, spoons, and an upside-down lamp for a cymbal. Included in the set are more conventional additions such as a cowbell, tambourine, and, just for extra texture, a washboard. The kit is another example of The Moldy Suitcases’ determination to explore the possibilities of the world of sound. While other band members are sometimes playing unconventional instruments such as kazoos
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
and ukuleles, O’Leary is whisking and whirling his way around a jalopy of goods that are more likely to be found where they have been forgotten. “A lot of people are curious about the drum kit,” O’Leary says. “A lot of times between sets or after shows they’ll come up and take a closer look at it. Drummers especially like to tinker with it. Many times people don’t realize I have pedals behind the suitcases. I’ve gone to a couple of practices and used actual drums but it changed the sound of the band a lot–it took away the weirdness.” But the weirdness began in the mind of Poitras. The 56-year old is the founder and songwriting mastermind of The Moldy Suitcases. Poitras is a long-time local musician whose primary musical project for the last 13 years has been the popular children’s group, The Toe Jam Puppet Band, which performs as many as 300 shows a year. With The Moldy Suitcases Poitras has teamed himself with a group of talents whose main musical mission is bringing something refreshing and
invigorating to audiences throughout the region.
Start with fun And the band’s fun-first approach is becoming infectious; they are establishing themselves in regional rooms from Newport to Cape Cod, including clubs such as No Problemo in New Bedford and The Battleship Brewhouse in Fall River. “Onstage everything happens very fast, it’s high-energy,” Jacobsen says. “We’re very outgoing and we play in a style that’s so old it feels new again.” Tim Gastall was picked by Poitras to create the cover for the band’s first album, a four-song, self-titled CD. “The Moldy Suitcases are retro-futuristic be-bop,” the Tiverton, RI resident says. “It sounds like cartoon music from a by-gone era.”
Inspired by R. Crumb Gastall’s artwork further contributes to the band’s free-spirit philosophy. He chose to create the cover in a style inspired by illustrator Robert Crumb, who designed artwork for blues artists of the 1920s and ‘30s, and also crafted the famous “Cheap Thrills” album cover for Big Brother and the Holding Company. Gastall’s comic cover portrays the band members cartoonishly with a lively explosion of color that pinballs the eye and is a fitting accompaniment for those listening to the CD. “They look awesome, “ Gastall claims. “They have a great visual style, dressing in vintage clothing and mixing it with a hip punk rock approach. They’re like a 1920s version of the Ramones: a lot of ruffles and leather.” “We look like we stepped out of the ‘Twilight Zone,’” O’Leary says. “We’re visually intense and that surprises people. Our friends don’t seem to dig it at first but they eventually appreciate what we’re doing.” But the band isn’t stuck in a time warp. They expand their sound stylistically to include influences from other genres and eras. Though they are rooted in swing jazz, they also find inspiration from 1960s soul and funk and 90s rock such as the Pixies.
Furious and O’Leary spend much of their free time enjoying early ‘80s punk. “Some of the bands we’re inspired by, like the Washboard Rhythm Kings from the 1930s, were closely aligned with what would become punk,” Poitras says. “It’s very loose and crazy.” And Poitras has known for a long time that a worker is only as good as his tools. “A lot of the uniqueness of our sound comes from the instruments we choose to play,” Poitras says. “We’re looking to discover new ways to express ourselves. If you expand your instruments you’re going to sound unique.” And Poitras has a history of pursuing unique sounds. After graduating from UMass-Dartmouth in 1978, he ventured to Santa Barbara, CA where some of his friends helped him discover new English bands such as Joy Division and Wire. After a two-year stay on the West Coast he returned to his hometown of New Bedford where he and his brother Ron formed a punk band, The Gluons. After four years the brothers and lead singer Mike Means took the tempo down and formed the atmospheric quartet Blue Hollow, which performed and recorded for two years. The Gluons and Blue Hollow proved too cutting-edge and non-conforming for their blue-collar hometown, but found support on college radio and eager audiences in bigger cities such as Boston, Providence, and Worcester. With the end of Blue Hollow, the brothers continued with their penchant for progress that has lasted to this day. “I never felt like I was taking chances with my music because I’m interested in doing something different all the time,” Poitras says. “It’s so much fun to find a new musical style you haven’t heard before and let the songwriting develop by itself. “We all come from rock-and-roll backgrounds, so we’re putting our own spin on the music. Everybody’s percolating in this band and we’re having a lot of fun. When everybody’s excited it’s easy to be in a band.”
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31
DATELINE: SOUTH COAST
News, views and trends... from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay by Elizabeth Morse Read
I
t’s time to clean the furnace or fireplace, unpack the woolens, winterproof the windows, and swap the rake for the shovel.
The day after Hallowe’en is a lot like the day after Memorial Day–it unofficially signals a change of season and weather, a shift in activities from outdoor to in, fewer traffic jams, and a return to hearty cold-season cooking. It’s also the commercial beginning of “The Holiday Season,” which won’t end until January 2, 2014. But it’s the best time of year for being with your family, friends and community! If you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet, join the club! But when you do get around to cooking and shopping for the holidays, give your business first to the grocers and craftsmen and merchants in your neighborhood or town, before you head for the malls or the Internet. Check out holiday craft bazaars or a church choir recital or a community theatre performance: get to know your neighbors throughout the South Coast. Create family memories at free events like AHA! Night in New Bedford, or tree-lightings and caroling, or WaterFire in Providence. The South Coast is a very special place to be during the holiday season. Don’t miss any of it!
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Across the region The South Coast Rail project jumped a major hurdle recently, when the Army Corps of Engineers gave approval for the trains to cross the Hockomock Swamp in Stoughton. Grammy-award winning R&B group Tavares, originally from New Bedford, was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Rhythm and Blues Music Society.
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Both Morton Hospital of Taunton and St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River will receive more than $300,000 in state funding to support public health outreach efforts. The Greater New Bedford Community Health Center will receive more than $130,000.
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Amidst all the glitter and glee, let’s not forget those who defended us. Head for Battleship Cove in Fall River to commemorate Veterans Day on November 11, and attend the wreathcasting on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day. Free to veterans and all military personnel. For details, call 508-6781100 x101 or visit www.battleshipcove. com.
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After disappearing from the state in the 1950s, the peregrine falcon has made a comeback: its newest recorded nesting site is atop a courthouse in Taunton.
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Mark your calendar for the 4th Annual Soup Bowl Supper on
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November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
November 9 at the Seaport Inn in Fairhaven. The benefit dinner will help out the Neediest Families Fund. Contact Amy Tolivaisa at 508-9794497 or at atolivaisa@s-t.com. If you’re 62 or older, check out the trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program: the Newport Playhouse November 14; Christmas at Hukelau December 10; and more. Call 508-991-6171.
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Acushnet The Silverbrook Farm hosts many family-friendly events: plan ahead for the 3rd Annual Santa Farm Follies on December 7. Call 617-834-5567 or go to www.thesilverbrookfarm@gmail.com.
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State Trooper Chris Dumont of Acushnet received the Massachusetts State Police’s highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during the Watertown gun battle with the Boston Marathon bombers back in April. We should note that he was offduty at the time!
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Attleborough Attleborough is to the Christmas season what Plymouth is to Thanksgiving–find time to visit the 60th Annual Festival of Lights at LaSalette Shrine starting November 28. For dates and times, call 508-2225410 or visit www.lasalette-shrine.org.
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Don’t miss the Attleboro Community Theatre’s performance of “A Christmas Carol” on weekends starting December 6. Go to www.attleborocommunitytheatre.com.
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Hawthorne Medical Associates has broken ground on a $33,000,000 office building, which will house a women’s center, an urgent care center and diagnostic facilities.
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Korean War vet James Collins, Dartmouth’s former veterans’ agent, has been named the Southeastern Massachusetts Veteran of the Year.
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Bristol Walk through Family Traditions, the stunning Christmas decorations at Blithewold, starting November 29. Go to www.blithewold.org or call 401-253-2707.
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Get close to the land this holiday season at Coggeshall Farm in Bristol. Check out the Historic Foodways & Hearth Cooking workshops on November 2, 9, and 16. There’s also the Christmas sale on December 7 and 8, and the very special “Christmas in the Barnyard” on December 24. Go to www.coggeshallfarm.org or call 401-253-9062.
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Buzzards Bay Take the family on the Train to Christmas Town from Buzzards Bay to Hyannis from November 15 to December 3. Go to www.capetrain. com or call 888-797-7245.
Enjoy the great outdoors at the Lloyd Center for the Environment. Walk the trails, sign up for a canoe or kayak excursion, visit the Nature Center. Free admission. Visit www.lloydcenter.org.
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Fairhaven Plan ahead for the multi-event “OldTime Holiday Weekend” December 13 to 15. Call 508-979-4085 or visit www. fairhavenevents.blogspot.com.
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Coyotes are suspected of killing at least six pet cats (including mine) over the summer in a neighborhood near the new Wood School.
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The new movie “Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks, made its debut at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in September. The real Captain Phillips graduated from the MMA.
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Carver Take the kids on a train ride at Edaville for the Christmas Festival of Lights running November 22 through January 1. The Polar Express evening rides also begin on select dates starting November 22. For more info, go to www.edaville.com or call 508-866-8190.
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Dartmouth UMass Dartmouth is considering an $11,400,000 purchase of the Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center in Fall River.
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Fall River Stroll through A Victorian Christmas at the Fall River Historical Society this holiday season. For dates and time, call 508-679-1071 or go to www.fallriverhistorical.org or www.lizzieborden.org.
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Amidst all the glitter and glee, let’s not forget those who defended us. Head for Battleship Cove to commemorate Veterans Day on November 11, and attend the wreath-casting on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day. Free to veterans and all military personnel. For details, call 508-678-1100 x101 or visit www. battleshipcove.com.
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Enjoy “Christmas Around the World” performed by the South Coast Community Chorale at the Baptist Temple in Fall River. For a schedule of performances, go to www.sccchorale. com.
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Daily fast ferry service from Fall River to Newport and Block Island is expected to launch in June, 2014.
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Continued on next page The South Coast Insider / November 2013
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Continued from previous page The state’s Accelerated Bridge Program has started work on the $197,000,000 reconstruction of the interchange of Route 79 and I-195.
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The Narrows Center for the Arts has a great line-up–there’s Michael Nesmith November 11, Judy Collins November 17, Roomful of Blues November 27 and Savoy Brown December 14! For complete details, visit www.narrowscenter.com, www.ncfta.org or call 508-324-1926.
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Marion Mark your calendars! The Sippican Choral Society will sing “A Ceremony of Carols” at New Bedford’s Grace Episcopal Church on December 6, and at the Wickendon Chapel in Marion on December 8. Visit www.sippicanchoral.org.
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Mattapoisett Town resident Karen Covey has published “A Coastal Table,” a cookbook inspired by the farmlands and seashore of the South Coast. For info, visit www.thecoastaltable.com.
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Middleborough Don’t miss the Holiday Fair at Soule Homestead on December 1. For info, call 508-947-6744 or visit www.soulehomestead.org.
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Enjoy free family fun and entertainment at AHA! Night. The November 13 theme is “Homecomings,” and for December 11, it’s “Made in New Bedford.” Go to www.ahanewbedford. org or call 508-996-8253.
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Learn about our past by attending “Four Centuries of Christmas in New England” on November 9 at the RotchJones-Duff House in New Bedford. For more info, call 508-997-1407 or visit www.rjdmuseum.org.
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It’s holiday time at the Buttonwood Park Zoo. There’s the Holiday Wreath Workshop on November 25, and Holiday ZOObilee on December 8, 15 and 22. Go to www.bpzoo.org or call 508-991-6178.
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Two men, one who passed away in 2005, the other in 2007, somehow managed to rack up almost $4,000 in overdue fines at the New Bedford Public Library since their demise. Go figure.
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Matthew Morrissey, executive director of New Bedford’s Economic Development Council, will step down to head the EDC’s new Wind Energy Center.
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For all who mourned the sudden closing of The Celtic coffee shop, it has reopened as the Portuguese-style Maria’s European Café.
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The State Pier is undergoing a $1,600,000 rehabilitation to prepare for imported fruit cargo shipments.
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Don’t miss the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra playing the “Family Holiday Pops” at the Zeiterion on December 21. Go to www.nbsymphony.org or call 508-999-6276.
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New Bedford St. Anthony of Padua Church has become a stunning venue for music on the South Coast: there’s the organ recital with Richard Hill and Zefiro on November 3 (also the church’s holiday bazaar weekend); the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Zelenka’s “Magnificat” and Handel’s “Messiah” on December 1; and the Christmas Concert & Caroling on December 15. Go to www. saintanthonynewbedford.org or call 508-993-1691.
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The newly-opened Custom House Square Park in the historic district recently hosted free Friday noontime jazz concerts. It’s a great urban greenspace for festivals and concerts or for just eating lunch!
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The New Bedford Regional Airport will receive $11,300,000 from the federal Department of Transportation to extend and overhaul two of its
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November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
runways to increase jet landings. The Schwartz Center for Children’s 25th Annual Walk raised more than $100,000.
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Mark your calendars! The Sippican Choral Society will sing “A Ceremony of Carols” at New Bedford’s Grace Episcopal Church on December 6, and at the Wickendon Chapel in Marion on December 8. Visit www.sippicanchoral.org.
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For the second year in a row, “The Standard Times” was named Newspaper of the Year by the New England Newspaper and Press Association.
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The Whaling Museum has received a $128,000 federal grant to support its high school apprentice programs.
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New Bedford’s Animal Control Director Manny Maciel was given the Humane Hero award by the American Humane Association for his volunteer work rescuing animals in natural disaster areas and pitbull rings across the country.
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It’s all happenin’ at the Z! Don’t miss “Godspell” November 6, the “Grease Sing-a-Long” November 9, Katharine McPhee November 23, Childsplay December 6, “The Christmas Carol” December 14, all at the Zeiterion. Call 508-994-2900 or visit www.zeiterion. org.
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Your Theatre will present “Henry Flamethrowa” November 14-24. Visit www.yourtheatre.org or call 508-993-0772.
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Newport Stroll through Christmas at the Newport Mansions November 23 through January 1. Call 401-847-1000 or go to www.newportmansions.org.
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Get ready for the Newport Fall Restaurant Week November 1 through10! For details, go to www. newportrestaurantweek.org.
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Ready, set, run! Join in the Pell Bridge Run in Newport on November 10. Call 401-318-2991 or visit www.pellbridgerun.com.
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Enjoy a performance of “The Nutcracker” at Rosecliff Manor, performed by the Island Moving Co. November 29 through December 1 and December 3 to 6. Visit www.islandmovingco.org.
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“Angel on My Shoulder” is playing at the Newport Playhouse November 21 to December 31. Go to www.newportplayhouse.com or call 401-848-7529.
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Southeastern Massachusetts Health & Rehabilitation Center
4586 Acushnet Ave. New Bedford, MA
508-998-1188
Flat Screen TV with Satellite n Wi-fi n Recliner n Separate reading area n Located on bus line n Multilingual staff: Portuguese & Spanish n
Plymouth Make this a special Thanksgiving! Join in the 1627 Harvest Dinner with the Pilgrims, or the Thanksgiving Dinner, at Plimouth Plantation on select dates throughout November. For info, call 508-746-1622 or visit www. plimouth.org.
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To schedule tours please call 508-998-1188
Providence Do NOT miss “WaterFire” at sunset in Providence on November 9–it’s free! Go to www.waterfire.org or call 401-273-1155.
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Your doctor. Right here.
Festival Ballet Providence ‘s performance of “Up Close on Hope” runs through November 9 at the Black Box Theatre in Providence. Go to www.festivalballet.com or call 401-353-1129.
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Prepare to be amazed! Don’t miss “Cirque Eloize: Cirkopolis” at the Providence Performing Arts Center on November 1 and 2. For info visit www. ppacri.org or call 401-421-2787.
Our doctors care for you right in your
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Music lovers! Don’t miss The Kronos Quartet at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence on November 8. These guys are terrific! For details, call 401-421-4278 or visit www.risd.edu.
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Head for the Providence Performing Arts Center to see “Phantom of the Opera” November 27 through December 7. Call 401-421-2787 or go to www.ppacri.org.
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Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page
TAROT-SCOPES by The by Celtic Cricket and his family of psychics at the Silver Willow www.thesilverwillow.com
Aries – Romance is in the air, be spontaneous and go out and go on a date, or at least buy your honey some flowers and feel the love all around you. Taurus – Think with your head this month and not with your heart. You need to deal with facts and don’t go by the vibes you are feeling. There is good news coming from the workplace. Gemini – Life is good and it’s time to share with others, and give a small gift or donate to a great cause. It will make you feel good inside. Cancer –Think before you speak, a loud mouth cancer won’t make headway this month; relax and most of all, think of what you say first before saying it. Leo – Money, growth and luck are all good for you this month. Take a chance; it will make you feel and look good. Virgo – Spend some time and money this month on yourself and not on others. Take a day trip or even go to the spa. Or even a sick day from work to go to the movies, but beware, don’t get caught. Libra – Making changes is great, start by tossing that old junk away and unclutter your life, but be careful: don’t burn any bridges because you will get burned. Scorpio – Oh my, aren’t we the busy, busy one and you are getting a lot done this month; but you need to stop and relax and say “no” at times. Sagittarius – Meeting the right ones is the key...many chances will be given to meet those that you need to help you with your career. Capricorn – Speak and you will be rewarded. If you want change or help, ask and you shall receive because you will be heard loud and clear. We are here for you. Aquarius – Just go with the flow and keep on your budget; don’t make any wrong turns. You’re making ends meet and keep it up. Remember, no U-turns. Pisces – Keep it slow and steady, so the fish shall swim because your progress is starting to show.
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Mwahaha! Start on the Providence Ghost Tour at Prospect Terrace Park evenings through November 16. Call 401-484-8687 or go to www.providenceghosttour.com.
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Wheee! For a holiday treat, take the little ones to see “Disney Junior Live on Tour! The Pirate and Princess Adventure” at The Vets November 2324. Go to www.thevetsri.com or call 401-421-2787.
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Follow the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra this fall! They’ll perform “Classical Concert: Rachmaninoff, Bartok, Dvorak” at The Carter Center on November 16, and on December 7, it will be Handel’s “Messiah” with the Providence Singers at The Vets. Call 401-248-7000 or go to www.riphil.org.
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Plan ahead: the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, conducted by Keith Lockhart, will perform the “Holiday Pops Tour” at the Providence Performing Arts Center on December 13. Call 401-421-2787 or go to www. ppacri.org.
Portsmouth Head for Common Fence Music for the 20th Anniversary Bash with The Jason Spooner Band on November 7. Call 401-683-5085 or visit www.commonfencemusic.org.
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Rehoboth Check out the “Folk Art and Artisans Show” on November 1 and 2 at Francis Farm, sponsored by the Rehoboth Antiquarian Society. Call 508-252-3031 or visit www.carpentermuseum.org.
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Follow “Arts in the Village,” the classical concert series at Goff Memorial Hall. The next performance will be Trio Amici on December 7. For info, call 508-252-3031 or visit www.carpentermuseum.org.
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And if you love medieval and Renaissance Christmas music, don’t miss the Sine Nomine Choral Ensemble’s performance “Sound the Trumpet!” at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence on December 14. For info, go to www.sinenominechoir.org.
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Check out “Spank: The Fifty Shades Parody” November 1 at The VETS. Call 401-421-2787 or visit to www.thevetsri. com or www.ppacri.com.
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If you’ve never seen the “Jack-oLantern Spectacular” at the Roger Williams Park Zoo (5,000 professionally-carved pumpkins!), catch it through November 3. Visit www.rwpz.og or call 401-785-3510.
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Take the family to “The Christmas Carol” November 9 to December 28 at Trinity Rep. Call 401-351-4243 or visit www.trinityrep.com.
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November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Taunton Morton Hospital of Taunton and St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River will receive more than $300,000 in state funding to support public health outreach efforts. The Greater New Bedford Community Health Center will receive more than $130,000.
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This will be the 100th Anniversary of the Lighting of the Green in Taunton, which was nicknamed “The Christmas City” in 1914.
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After disappearing from the state in the 1950s, the peregrine falcon has made a comeback: its newest recorded nesting site is atop the courthouse.
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Tiverton There’s always something happenin’ at Tiverton Four Corners. There’s the film “Gap-Toothed Woman” on November 13, and the Winter Arts and Artisan Fair December 14 and 15. For details call 401-624-2600 or visit www. tivertonfourcorners.com.
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The Sandywoods Center for the Arts will present Little Ugly November 2, “Forever Young” Tribute November
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23, Abbey Rhode November 30, Danielle Miraglia December 7. Go to www.sandywoodsmusic.com or call 401-241-7349. Plan ahead for the "Tidings of Peace" concert, performed by the Southeastern Massachusetts Festival Chorus, on December 14 at the Taunton High School Auditorium, and on December 15 at St. Andrew the Apostle Church. For information, call 508-821-9571 or go to http://www.smfconline.org/.
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Wareham n Listen to “Oceanic Eyes,” performed by Master Singers by the Sea at the Church of the Good Shepherd on November 2. For info, call 508-540-4732 or visit www.mastersingersbythesea.org.
Check out the new South Coast Center for the Arts! Nico Rivers performs on November 18. Go to www. southcoastcenterforthearts@gmail. com or call 508-291-2787.
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Everyone in Wareham will be very busy throughout the coming year, planning for the Summer of Celebration, which will commemorate the town’s 275th birthday, as well as the 200th anniversary of the British warship Nimrod's attack during the War of 1812. To get involved, go to www.wareham2014.com.
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Warren Head for 2nd Story Theatre this holiday season! There’s “Sons of the Prophet” through November 24; “Golda’s Balcony” November 8 to December 8; “Saint Joan” November 15 to December 15. For details, call 401-247-4200 or go to www.2ndstorytheatre.com.
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Westport Concerts at the Point will present The Claremont Trio November 24, and the Hodgkinson-Lee Duo December 15. For details, visit www.concertsatthepoint.org or call 508-636-0698.
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Southcoast Center for Healing 125 Milton St · Dartmouth, MA · 508-287-1948 · Grief Counseling · Depression · Anxiety · Support for Caregivers · Parenting Support · Sleep Counseling
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The South Coast Insider / November 2013
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ON MY MIND
Thanks for everything by Paul E. Kandarian
It is with a happy heart that we give thanks this month for Pilgrims settling in Plymouth and holding what is believed to have been our new nation’s first thanksgiving. That the Pilgrims ended up in Plymouth after first landing in Provincetown should not be taken as a Puritan slight against gay people because there were no gay people back in those days, though young braves frequently seen together, He Who Is Light in His Moccasins and Tall Thin One With the Most Divine Teepee Ever!! did give native elders some cause for concern. It is also with gratitude that we thank those Pilgrims for instilling in us the love of brewskis. History has it that the Pilgrims had much beer aboard the Mayflower, which was brought because water would get contaminated on long trips and beer was a much better alternative. In fact, sailors were given a daily beer ration of one gallon each, which resulted in massive belching that in fact filled the ship’s sails on many calm days, an often overlooked bit of history.
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So the Pilgrims put in at Plymouth having run low on beer, in search of fresh water they could drink, and of course, make more beer with. This led to one of the most famous quotes of those long-ago times, when the beautiful Priscilla said “Drink for thyself, John Alden. You touch MY beer, and I will smite you with one of my petticoat hoops!” They of course landed on Plymouth Rock, which to this day is one of the most popular tourist attractions in these here United States, despite the actual size of it being no larger than an average-sized Pilgrim infant. I recall fondly one recent day sitting by the Plymouth Rock monument, a grand
November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
edifice surrounding the tiny rock below, and hearing one tourist walking away from it telling other giddy tourists heading for it, and I am not making this up, “Prepare to be underwhelmed.” As Americans, we have much, much to be thankful for, which include: Black Friday. Our hearty forefathers could not have envisioned what the day after Thanksgiving would become, that being a day when the citizenry rises long before the dawn and makes camp before giant retail monoliths in hopes of paying too much money for things like the latest children’s toy or iPhone, and in the process, brawling, pulling knives, firing guns, occasionally murdering
one another and otherwise acting like crazed Pilgrims fresh out of beer. Congress, which back in the day was spelled “Congreff,” because the rest of the alphabet had not yet been invented. We should be thankful for a Congress that in its infinite wisdom can shut down the entire federal government because they don’t like each other. This is despite what Abraham Lincoln said about the government being of the people, by the people and for the people. But on a technicality, those in Congress aren’t really people, they’re self-serving, talking-head aliens in expensive clothing stuffed with money. Reality shows. Who doesn’t love shows like those featuring celebrities we’ve never heard of or have long forgotten dancing on television for the voting approval of millions of viewers
who apparently never heard of the History Channel? My guess is if the Pilgrims could have gotten a glimpse of something like “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” they would have immediately started their own series, “The Real Thatched Hutwives of Plimoth Plantation.” Technology. Back in the first Thanksgiving days, it would take months or even longer for letters to reach people, making for huge gaps in time and forcing people to actually think for themselves. Nowadays, with virtual everything and constant contact with everyone on the planet, thinking for oneself, or indeed, just plain thinking has been replaced with the ability to reach out and see what everyone else is thinking first.
The Colonial town crier has been replaced by Facebook, allowing us to relay vital information to everyone about every move we make. I can’t help believing that our forefathers, intensely private people fighting for survival in a harsh new world, would be proud. Federal elections. There are none this year, and for this we can all be thankful. But rest easy, the presidential election is only three years away, and congressional elections next year, giving us ample time to consider the issues and vote the scoundrels out of office, replacing them with another batch of useless aliens. Happy Thanksgiving, America! Paff the beer, we’ve earned it.
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November 2013 / The South Coast Insider
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Peace of Mind Day Retreat
JOIN US
FREE FACIAL REJUVENATION & LASER SEMINAR Weds, January 15 6 - 7 p.m. Q Club Mansion 306 No Main St Fall River, MA
Register 508-961-0904
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Call to schedule an appointment 508-961-0904 www.drbrys.com 535 Faunce Corner Road Dartmouth, MA
FREE Consultation
A D V E R T I S E
with American Buddhist Monk, Kelsang Pawo This special one-day retreat is designed to help you relax, renew, and revitalize your life. You will learn beneficial responses to daily stresses, relax your mind, and experience a profound sense of inner peace. Discover the power of simple meditation practices and return home refreshed and inspired! Cost: $25 | $15 Students & Seniors
Serlingpa Meditation Center 514 Pleasant Street New Bedford, MA 02740 phone: 508.979.8277 register online today:
www.MeditationInMass.org
A $100 value
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Southcoast Urgent Care Center now open in Fairhaven. For right-away care, when it’s not quite an emergency. For the bumps and the bruises and the time when you shouldn’t have touched the poison ivy but you did. (And then made a lovely bouquet out of it for mom.) We’re here for you.
Walk-in care, 7 days a week. Weekdays 8 to 8, weekends 9 to 5. Board-certified doctors.
208 Mill Road, Fairhaven Adults + children (6 months and older). southcoasturgentcare.org
Burn s • Bite s • Broke n Bon e s • s titch e s • e ar ach e s • Back pai n s o r e t h r oat s • F l U • e y e i n j u r i e s • A n d I tc h y S t u f f t o o
Clifton
HEALTHCARE CAMPUS
WILBUR AVENUE, SOMERSET, MASSACHUSETTS
Need Short Term Rehab?
Tell your Healthcare Provider you PREFER Clifton… And, Call Clifton…508-675-7589 for priority placement.
CLIFTON REHABILITATIVE NURSING CENTER 508-675-7589
CLIFTON ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY 508-324-0200
Compassion Dignity Comfort CLIFTON OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION CLINIC 508-675-0328
Transitional Care Short-Term Rehab Assisted Living
CLIFTON HOSPICE SERVICES (A community hospice agency) 508-675-7583
Outpatient Rehab Long-Term Care Hospice Care
You Have A Choice in Your Care.......Ask for Clifton Clifton is a fourth generation local family organization that, since 1954, has been providing the highest quality of healthcare services to your community, which is also our community.
Proud to be Celebrating Over 50 Years of Dedication to Excellence.