Mackenzie Ryan
Massachusetts, West Des Moines
Business book ghostwriter. Author of “Faith Storytellers: Unleash the Power of Your Story. National award winning journalist turned book writer for hire.
Articles by Mackenzie Ryan
The potential role of GLP‐1 receptor agonists in osteoarthritis
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT The authors declare no conflicts of interest. REFERENCES 1 GBD 2021 Osteoarthritis Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of osteoarthritis, 1990–2020 and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021. Lancet Rheumatol. 2023; 5(9): e508-e522. doi:10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00163-7 2, , , et al.
Capital Program Committee Votes On FY25 Plan
Mashpee Capital Improvement Program Committee on Tuesday, January 30, approved $7.5 million in capital spending for the coming fiscal year beginning in July. That amount is $1.2 million less than initially requested. The reduction was necessary due to available funds, Mashpee Town Manager Rodney C. Collins said. After a review of the operating budget and capital improvement plan, Mr. Collins submitted the revised spending plan for the committee’s vote.
Mashpee Gifted New Therapy Dog
Mashpee School District will soon have a furry new team member. K9 Cara or “Lil Subie,” a chocolate Labrador retriever, was given to the district to be its therapy dog by Atlantic Subaru and Subaru of New England. K9 Cara will live with School Resource Officer Katie Hennessey. Students and staff in all three school buildings will benefit from interacting with Cara.
Route 28 Safety Topic Of Concern For Business Owners
Franchise co-owners Usama El-Sehrawey and Terry Smiley, who established the Wendy’s off Route 28 in Mashpee, went before the Mashpee Economic Development Industrial Corporation on Tuesday, January 30, to discuss the positives and negatives from their experience. Opening in 2022, the business pair said their experience in Mashpee was a positive one, where much of the community and town embraced their project.
School Security Film Request Raises Emergency Communication Concerns
A capital request to install security film on windows at the three Mashpee Public Schools raised a question about the effectiveness of radio communication between emergency personnel in the school buildings. The schools initially requested $45,000 to install security film on glass windows and doors at the schools. However, at the Capital Improvement Program Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 30, Town Manager Rodney C.
Students Voice Concerns About Chromebooks To School Committee
Members of the Mashpee Middle-High School Student Advisory Committee, in a joint meeting with the Mashpee School Committee last Wednesday, January 24, said enforcement of personal device use has been inconsistent, and Chromebooks, for most, cause delays and interruptions to learning. At the start of the 2023-2024 school year, the district implemented a new policy requiring all students at MMHS to use school-provided Chromebooks for in-school work. Chairwoman Catherine A.
CPC Reccomends Three Applications For Spring Town Meeting
Applications before the Community Preservation Committee geared toward improving open space, recreation and water quality received unanimous support by members at their meeting last Thursday, January 18. The recommended projects will update the town’s open space and recreation plan, begin the second phase of improvements to Heritage Park and further treat cyanobacteria problems in Ashumet Pond. Ashley K.
Stormwater Plan Review Sparks Regulatory Questions
Mashpee Director of the Department of Public Works Catherine E. Laurent and Gabrielle Belfit, senior environmental scientist with Tighe & Bond Engineers, presented plans to remediate stormwater to the select board on Monday night, January 22. The town received a state grant from the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust last year to identify town properties on which to install systems to remove phosphorus from stormwater.
New Mashpee Seafood Restaurant Given Liquor License
Mashpee Select Board on Monday, January 22, approved a liquor license for Dune Brothers, a new restaurant on North Street in Mashpee Commons. The license was granted with the stipulation that safety of patrons in the outdoor seating area be addressed. Waquoit resident Nicholas Gillespie, owner and manager of Dune Brothers in Providence, Rhode Island, said he is looking to bring a raw bar concept with a focus on local seafood to the Commons.
Mashpee Students Show Steady Score Improvements Post-Pandemic
Student scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam generally improved in Mashpee in 2023. School administrators are now using the new data to continue to adjust curriculum and instruction, moving forward from the pandemic. Assistant Superintendent Hope P. Hanscom presented the district’s 2023 MCAS scores during the school committee meeting on January 17.
Single Vehicle Crash On Route 28
Joseph M. Quetti, a 61-year-old from East Falmouth, died in a single-vehicle crash on Route 28 in Mashpee just before noon on Tuesday, January 23. Mr. Quetti’s Cadillac Escalade was traveling south on Route 28 when it crossed over into the northbound lane and struck a fire hydrant near Bowdoin Road at 11:56 AM. According to a press release from acting Mashpee Police Chief Thomas A. Rose, the vehicle then struck a nearby tree before coming to rest in the parking lot of Bosun’s Marina.
Quinaquisset Speed Limit Decreased After Yearlong Effort
The speed limit on Quinaquisset Avenue has been lowered to 30 miles per hour from 45 miles per hour to increase pedestrian and vehicle safety in the heavily settled area. Members of the select board unanimously supported the speed limit decrease at their Monday, January 22, meeting. The town had been working with the state for almost a year to make the change. “It is amazing the hoops you have to go through to lower a speed limit for safety,” board chairman John J. Cotton said.
Phase One Homeowners Sewer Connections Delayed Half A Year
Mashpee residents’ anticipated hookup to the townwide sewer system will see roughly eight-month delays as supply chain issues have delayed work on the wastewater facility. Property owners in the first phase of the sewer will now not be hooked up to the town sewer until 2025. Sandra Tripp, consultant with GHD, and Michael Scipione with Weston & Sampson, were before the select board on Monday, January 22, to relay the new construction time frame.
Select Board Adopts Flag Policy
The Mashpee Select Board on Monday, January 22, adopted a policy that allows only the flags of the United States, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Town of Mashpee and the flag of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to be flown on town-owned flagpoles. The official POW/MIA flag may also be flown on the town-owned flagpole at Veterans Park, with prior approval granted by the select board or town manager. to address which flags are allowed to be flown on town-owned flagpoles.
Housing Committee Fears Changes To Housing Plan Could Halt Production
The Mashpee Affordable Housing Committee is concerned a change to the Housing Production Plan could result in a moratorium on building affordable housing. The Mashpee Select Board and Planning Board in a meeting on Tuesday voted to remove a strategy from the Housing Production Plan that housing advocates fear would have this moratorium effect. Mashpee Town Planner Evan R. Lehrer presented the changes to the housing committee at their meeting on Tuesday, January 16.
Pond Alliance Offers Sewer Commission Education Assistance
President of the Save Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Alliance Susan E. Dangle came before the sewer commission during its meeting last Thursday, January 11, to offer the alliance as a conduit for the commission to bring education on sewering and urine diversion to the community. One of the group’s major concerns is moving the second phase of town sewering forward, Ms. Dangle said. With a Town Meeting vote approaching for the next phase this May, education needs to begin now.
Finalists For Principal Invited To Middle-High School
Two candidates for the principal position at Mashpee Middle-High School will tour the building and meet with students and staff on Monday, January 22, and Wednesday, January 24. The district received nine applications for the open position. Three of the applicants were licensed out of state. Six candidates were selected for interviews, with the finalists narrowed to two for the building tours. Initial interviews were split between Wednesday and Thursday of last week, Superintendent Patricia M.
LeClair Village Given Local Preference For Current Residents
The state has approved Local Preference for Mashpee residents at LeClair Village, pending approval of the fair housing marketing plans to be submitted by Housing Assistance Corporation and Preservation of Affordable Housing. The application asked that 70 percent of the units be prioritized for current residents. This would reserve 27 of the 39 units built. The decision is an important one for future developments, Affordable Housing Committee chairman Allan B. Isbitz said.
Snow Sends School Bus Off Roadway Early Tuesday
No students were injured when a Mashpee Public School bus slid off the road Tuesday morning, January 16. The bus was heading down Noisy Hole Road, which connects Sarakumit Village to Santuit Strip, before taking a left onto Wilann Road. As the bus went to make the left-hand turn, the vehicle slid for a short distance before coming to a rest on the right shoulder of the road. The bus's right headlight and front bumper came to rest on a tree.
Town Capital Requests Vary From Equipment Upgrades To New Community Center
Facilities and equipment across town departments are falling into disrepair, prompting capital requests for Fiscal Year 2025. Director of the Department of Public Works Catherine E. Laurent presented the requests to the Capital Improvement Program Committee at its meeting last week on Wednesday, January 10.
New Mashpee Police Station Considered By Capital Program Committee
A Fiscal Year 2025 capital request from the Department of Public Works is looking to relocate previously approved funds toward the design and engineering of a new Mashpee Police Station. Members of the Capital Improvement Program Committee heard the request along with myriad other capital projects during their meeting on Wednesday, January 10. Catherine E.
Joint Meeting Moves Housing Plan Forward With Zoning Strategy Changes
A draft of the Mashpee Housing Production Plan will move into public comment in roughly a week. The select and planning boards voted in a joint meeting on Monday, January 8, to recommend the draft document after making changes to zoning strategies. The boards also voted to note specific barriers to increasing affordable housing and other minor changes to the document. The draft plan will be put out for public comment in the coming weeks and remain there for two weeks to one month.
Board Tables Letter Of Support For JBCC Master Plan
Mashpee Select Board is delaying a letter of support to the Cape Cod Commission concerning updating the Joint Base Cape Cod Master Plan. The letter will also request that the town be allowed to participate in the planning process. The board unanimously voted on Monday, January 8, to table the letter of support to allow Town Manager Rodney C. Collins time to collect information that will support the town’s argument for inclusion and provide context to the water quality issues.
New Electricity Pole To Solve Safety Concerns On Jackbon Road
A new utility pole will be installed on Jackbon Road to alleviate safety concerns for new residents on the road. Donald Bonner, a spokesperson for Verizon New England, said the company will raise two poles with wires at a suitable height now that new development was constructed on the corner of Mashpee Neck Road and Jackbon Road. The wires are currently 10 feet from the ground, which was suitable for the wooded area prior to construction.
Town Sees Little Damage Through Sunday Snowfall
Despite rough weather hitting the Town of Mashpee this week, little damage to roadways and beaches occurred as a result. Rainfall and high winds that began on the evening of Tuesday, January 9, and continued into Wednesday morning saw water levels at South Cape Beach rise. With a significant amount of water on the roadway, the gates at the town beach were closed. The water largely dissipated by midday Wednesday, though the gates to the beach remained shuttered.
Quashnet School Theater Club To Perform 'Wizard Of Oz'
The Quashnet School Theater Club visited the Mashpee School Committee on Wednesday to preview their performance of “The Wizard of Oz,” which they will perform next week. Students Jameson Hughes (grade 6), Jack Franzago (grade 5), Ryan Burd (grade 6), Evan Dudley (grade 6), Jeanne Ewing (grade 5) and Ciara Cannon (grade 4) performed a segment in full costume to rounds of applause from members of the committee and audience.
Education Department Gives District Funds To Curb Absenteeism
The Mashpee Public School District is one of 170 schools in Massachusetts to receive $10,000 from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to help curb student absenteeism. As part of the grant, the district must utilize the funds in one of three categories to reduce absenteeism: increasing family engagement; emergency management tools to analyze attendance; or a commitment to create a weekend school for chronically absent students.
Water Quality Takes Center Stage Over Past Year
The last year in the Town of Mashpee was a noisy one. From residents’ shouts to improve water quality to the sounds of pickleball paddles on Ashumet Road to the construction on Route 151 and detours around the installation of the town sewering, there was no shortage of work being done. The town welcomed the year 2023 with a New York Times headline labeling town waters as “Toxic Stew,” bringing national attention to an already known local problem.
School Budget Hearing Raises DEIB Questions
A public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget for the Mashpee Public Schools brought up questions of where diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging fall within the operational budget and what work the district is doing on the topic to build a foundation at earlier grade levels. The questions were raised by Mashpee parent Victoria Haire, who has a child in both the Kenneth C. Coombs School and the Quashnet School.
Six In Running For MMHS Principal Position
Mashpee schools have six candidates for the Middle-High School principal. They will be interviewed by the district’s interview committee in the coming week. The district received seven applications through the online portal and two applications through other avenues, Superintendent Patrica M. DeBoer said during the school committee meeting on Wednesday, January 3. The application, which was posted to several sites, remained open for just under a month.
Mashpee Man Held Without Bail On Fentanyl-Trafficking Charges
Jarran G. Watkins, 36, of Mashpee has been held without bail from charges of trafficking 200 grams or more of heroin/ morphine/ opium/ fentanyl and possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card. Mr. Watkins is due back in Falmouth District Court on Tuesday, January 23, for a probable cause hearing. On December 19, a search of two separate properties—one on Savannas Path and the other on Lakewood Drive in Mashpee—was conducted by members of the DEA Cape Cod Drug Task Force.
Detour For Sewer Construction Will Reroute Cars From Orchard Road
Improvements to the town sewage collection systems will cause traffic detours on Orchard Road and Quinaquisset Avenue for roughly one month. Construction crews with Robert B. Our Co. will excavate and install gravity sewers and manholes on Orchard Road. Work on the road is expected from Monday, January 8, through Monday, February 5. The detour will see the southbound lane closed with a one-way northbound lane open to traffic.
Jaws of Life Used In Falmouth Road Crash
The Jaws of Life were used to extract a driver from a two-vehicle crash near Planet Fitness on Wednesday evening in Mashpee. The driver, Timothy Rehak, 60, of Wareham was charged as a result of the accident with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop/yield and open possession of alcohol in the motor vehicle. The two-vehicle, side-impact crash was reported around 6 PM on Falmouth Road at Trinity Place near the Boston Interiors and Planet Fitness complex.
Plans For The Former Zachary's Pub Remain Unclear
In 2020 Mashpee Zoning Board of Appeals approved plans for a convenience and appliance store in the former Zachary’s Pub at 100 Great Neck Road North, now known as River Bend Village Condominiums. Juan Marichal of Hyannis purchased the 6.17-acre property from Richard E. Halpern in May 2019 for $2 million. Mr. Halpern had operated the main building on the property as a strip club during the previous 35 years.
Town Ancient Burial Grounds Receive Official Names
Four ancient burial grounds in Mashpee will receive official names as part of the historical commission’s efforts to rehabilitate the historic sites. The commission worked with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to determine the names, commission chairwoman Ava Costello said. As ancient cemeteries, the locations would also be eligible for a place on the state and national historic register. Select board members unanimously supported the new names at their meeting on Monday, December 18.
Select Board Authorizes Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center Construction
The Mashpee Select Board on Monday, December 18, approved construction of a visitors center at the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge. Glenn Davis, president of the Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, presented the proposal, which needed board authorization to proceed forward with negotiations with the town manager. Town Manager Rodney C. Collins gave his full support for the proposal, having met previously with the group to review the project.
Suggested Zoning Strategies Halt HPP Review Process Until January
Participants in a joint meeting of the select board and planning board decided to hold off discussions of the housing production plan until January. A presentation of the draft plan given to the select board on Monday, December 18, by Alexis R. Lanzillotta, senior planner with Bartlett Planning Group, took up the bulk of the meeting's scheduled half-hour time slot.
Environmental Oversight Seeks CPA Funds To Update Open Space Plan
The Environmental Oversight Committee is looking to update the town’s open space and recreation plan, which has been out of date for several years. An updated plan would increase the town’s chances of receiving state and federal grants for open space acquisition, and conservation and recreation efforts. Oversight committee vice chairwoman Alexandra B. Zollo and chairman David W. Weeden presented a request for $100,000 to the community preservation committee on December 14.
Select Board Approves APCC Application For Grant Funding To Restore Mashpee River
Mashpee Select Board signed a letter of support for the Association To Preserve Cape Cod’s application for $3 million to restore the Mashpee River. The APCC is applying for a NOAA Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grant for Tribes and Underserved Communities. The project would be undertaken as a partnership of the APCC, the town’s conservation department and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Assistant conservation agent Daniel B.
Bylaw To Redistribute Trees From Town Construction Suggested For Future Board Consideration
Mashpee Select Board member David W. Weeden asked for a bylaw that would distribute cut hardwood to members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. The question arose at the board’s meeting on Monday, December 18. Mr. Weeden asked the town manager’s office to look into the legality of donating razed trees from construction projects to members of the tribe to help with the cost of heating their homes.
MMHS Holds Seventh Annual 'Mashpee Has Your Back' Drive For Those In Need
For the seventh year, Mashpee Middle-High School students are collecting donations to fill backpacks with clothes and items for those who are homeless on Cape Cod. The drive provides personal hygiene supplies, feminine products, undergarments, sweatshirts, scarves, gloves, hats and snacks. Donations will be accepted at the school throughout the winter season.
Appraisal Moves Forward For Properties On Pickerel Cove
The Community Preservation Committee approved spending up to $6,000 for an appraisal of roughly 17 acres near Pickerel Cove. Members voted unanimously to start the appraisal process at their December 14 meeting. A subcommittee of community preservation committee members was formed to communicate with ownership about the potential acquisition.
Use Of CPA Funds For New Storage Facility In Heritage Park Renovation Request Causes Questions Of Legality
The Community Preservation Committee questioned the legality of using Community Preservation Act funds to install a new prefabricated metal storage facility at Heritage Park. The building is part of a larger project to recenter concessions and storage around the more heavily used back fields. Mashpee Department of Public Works Director Catherine E.
LeClair Village Application Process To Begin As Project Nears Completion
LeClair Village, located at 950 Falmouth Road, is 60 percent complete. Applications for affordable units in the project are expected to open between March and April, with a lottery selection date in May. A brief project update was presented to members of the affordable housing committee during its Tuesday, December 12, meeting. Kayla Baier, assistant director of housing development for Housing Assistance Corporation Cape Cod, said marketing for the property will begin sometime in February.
Blue Falcon Theatre Company Presents Comedic Drama 'The Bookstore'
The Blue Falcon Theatre Company will present “The Bookstore,” a comedic drama about a seemingly magical bookstore whose future remains uncertain when its ownership switches hands. Mashpee Middle-High School students have been working since October to build sets and perfect lines for two shows at 7 o’clock tonight, Friday, December 15, and tomorrow. Tickets will be $5 at the door of the Victoria Vieira Performing Arts Center at the middle-high school.
Housing Production Plan Moves Ahead With Review
Mashpee is making progress on its housing production plan, as a draft of goals and strategies makes its rounds to various committees for review. Alexis R. Lanzillotta, senior planner with Bartlett Planning Group, went through the goals and strategies with the affordable housing committee on Tuesday, December 12.
Studies Progress On Town Parcels Proposed For Affordable Housing Projects
The pipeline of affordable housing projects is moving along as consultants are being hired and requests for proposals are being submitted. Town Planner Evan R. Lehrer presented a brief update to affordable housing committee members at their meeting on Tuesday, December 11. Vanasse & Associates has been hired for a study of transportation impacts on a proposed project at 209 Old Barnstable Road. Work will continue for approximately four to six weeks with a final report submitted by early February.
Charter Review Wordsmiths Preamble And Survey Before Final Consideration
The Charter Review Committee on Monday saw members spend just under two hours discussing alterations to a draft version of the preamble to ensure representation of all residents. The preamble serves as the opening to the town’s governing document. The purpose is to detail the historical governance of the town with a focus on the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Committee members agreed to amend it by adding language that better represents the inclusion of all residents of the town.
CPC To Hear Two More Applications In Most Recent Funding Round
Community Preservation Committee on Thursday, December 14, will hear from the final two applicants for this round of Community Preservation Act funds. The meeting begins at 6:30 PM. Before the committee is a request from Mashpee Department of Public Works Director Catherine E. Laurent, who is applying for just under $75,000 to start the second phase of improvements at Heritage Park. Total cost of the project is estimated at $100,000 with 75 percent of the funding being requested from CPA funds.
CPC To Hear Two More Applications In Most Recent Funding Round (copy)
Community Preservation Committee on Thursday, December 14, will hear from the final two applicants for this round of Community Preservation Act Funds. The meeting begins at 6:30 PM. Before the committee is a request from Department of Public Works Director Catherine E. Laurent who is applying for just under $75,000 to start the second phase of improvements at Heritage Park. Total cost of the project is estimated at $100,000 with 75 percent of funding being requested from CPA funds.
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