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Cooling center will open to combat extreme heat this week

Multi-service center

The town is gearing up for a potential heat wave that could bring nearly 100 degree temperatures to Wareham this week. Wareham Emergency Management is opening up an emergency cooling center on the first floor of the Wareham Emergency Operation...

Town closes four beaches over elevated bacteria levels

Wareham seal

The Town of Wareham announced that four of its beaches have been closed for exceeding the state's bacteria limit on Monday, June 29. Briarwood Beach, Forbes Beach, Standish Shores Beach and Wareham Lake Shores Beach have all closed. It is not clear...

Ribbon cut on second Wareham helipad

Ribbon cutting at helipad

Wareham emergency responders and Southcoast Health cut the ribbon on a helipad on Viking Drive near the Wareham Town Hall Friday, June 26. The helipad, known as the Wareham Viking Landing Zone, is set to improve Wareham's emergency response...

Wareham High students win scholarships for medical studies

Three Wareham High School seniors were awarded scholarships for next school year from the Dr. Thomas Gleason Scholarship Committee. Brooke Halloran will receive $1,000 to study dental medicine at Cape Cod Community College. Halloran's goal is to...

Wareham student awarded Southcoast scholarship

Wareham High School senior Brooke Halloran was awarded the Wylde Family Scholarship by the Southcoast Health Ambassadors this year. Halloran, who plans to attend Cape Cod Community College majoring in Health Sciences, received $1,500 to support her...

'A total homecoming': Sip and Stroll Harbor Fest comes to Wareham

Colby Skellett

On a drizzly Saturday late afternoon, Besse Park and Warren's Harborview on Main Street were filled with the sounds of chatter and the smell of fried dough as thousands of people attended Sip and Stroll Harbor Fest on Saturday, June 27. Shortly...

Poker-playing kayakers return to Onset

Marshall hands cards

While poker is a game traditionally played inside a casino, players put a maritime twist on the classic card game during the Onset Bay Association's annual kayak poker run on Saturday, June 27 at Shell Point Beach. Kayakers paddled to three stops...

Group plants 250 flags for nation's 250th anniversary

Mark Townsend and Angela Dunham

The sun shone down on the Wareham Town Hall as a group of local officials and residents planted hundreds of small American flags in front of the Wareham Bicentennial War Memorial on Saturday, June 27. Why the flags? Wareham is celebrating the...

Wareham teacher rescues woman from burning car

First responders

A Wareham teacher climbed onto a burning SUV and pulled a woman to safety after the car crashed in the woods and flipped on its side late afternoon on Wednesday, June 23 on Great Neck Road. Craig Berriault, a science teacher at Wareham High School...

Wareham preschoolers get a sunny graduation sendoff

Preschool graduates

On a drizzly Friday morning, Wareham Elementary School's preschool class brought in some sunshine as it waved goodbye to preschool and hello to kindergarten on Friday, June 26. Dressed in yellow and rockin' shades, a nod to upcoming summer season,...

Community rallies around #MiaStrong

Mia as police officer

Since Mia Johnson was diagnosed with cancer on Wednesday, June 10, her family's lives "went into a complete whirlwind," Mia's mother Briana Johnson said. Amid that whirlwind, however, came an outpouring of support from the Wareham community. Mia...

Fire erupts inside dog treat bakery

Preppy puppy fire

A fire ignited at Wareham's dog treat specializing Preppy Puppy Bakery at 2380 Cranberry Highway on the evening of Tuesday, June 23. Firefighters were notified of the fire on Tuesday evening after a commercial alarm activated in the building,...

Lightning strike knocks out power on Cromesett Road

Fire along road.

Lightning struck near a power line on Cromessett Road on Tuesday, June 23, bringing down two sections of wire, taking out power for nearby residents and starting a fire along the side of the road. At 8:30 a.m., Eversource sent out a message to...

Gosnold substance abuse treatment center cuts ribbon, opens to patients July 1

Richard Curcuru and Donald Quenneville

Inpatient substance abuse treatment center Gosnold Behavioral Health cut the ribbon to its 96-bed facility at 50 Indian Neck Road during a grand opening ceremony on Tuesday, June 23. Gosnold is moving into the former Forestview Nursing Home site...

World Cup spirit comes to Onset

Childhood friends

Fans brought kilts, flags and the energy of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to Onset last week as Massachusetts hosts matches for the global soccer tournament. Onset's Pier View Restaurant and Stephen's Lounge hosted soccer fans of the Scotland and Cape...

Father's Day car show parks vehicles and memories

Cars at VFW show

When a 1955 Ford Crown Victoria showed up unannounced in Wareham resident Howard Smith's driveway eight years ago, he asked his wife "what's that?" "That's my new toy," Claire Smith responded. Claire Smith brought that "toy" to the third King of...

Residents march for peace on Main Street

Reverend Daniel Bernier of the Church of the Good Shepherd holds up a sign for peace

Carrying signs and walking down Main Street, a group of about 20 people gathered for what appeared to be a demonstration on Saturday, June 20. While people did march up and down the street holding up signs, the walk was not a protest. Instead,...

Taiko group drums up good energy at the library

Residents participate

As the sun beamed down on the Wareham Free Library on Saturday, June 20, the normally quiet place was filled with the sounds of drums as Odaiko New England performed outside the library’s doors. The high-energy performance included several types of...

'Everybody is welcome here': Onset VFW celebrates Juneteenth

Jaide Thomas

From soccer games to massages to temporary tattoos, the Juneteenth picnic at the Onset Veterans of Foreign Wars Post on Friday, June 19 had something for everyone. Around 60 people of all ages gathered outside the VFW on Friday afternoon to...

Damien's Food Pantry receives Community Impact Award

Community Impact Award

Damien's Food Pantry was awarded the 2026 YMCA Southcoast Community Impact Award on Wednesday, June 17. "This recognition means far more than an award," Executive Director Rachel Resendes wrote in a statement. "It represents what is possible when...

American International College graduates Wareham resident

Wareham's Amanda Marshall graduated from American International College with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies on Saturday, May 9. The college conferred bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees from its School of Health Sciences for the...

Wareham resident graduates magna cum laude from Emmanuel College

Wareham resident Abby Wiksten graduated from Emmanuel College on Saturday, May 9 with a double major in Liberal Studies and Elementary Education. Wiksten graduated with a Magna Cum Laude distinction. Emmanuel College is a Catholic, coeducational,...

Scottish World Cup invasion reaches Onset

Gina Hemond and the Scotland fans

A group of Scottish soccer fans donning kilts and jerseys were spotted at Pier View Restaurant in Onset on the morning of Friday, June 19 as Massachusetts hosts matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament. Guy Hemond said that he and his wife...

Select Board rejects option to serve alcohol until 3 a.m. for World Cup fans

The Select Board declined to participate in a statewide effort to allow bars and restaurants to serve alcohol until 3 a.m. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a 2-3 vote on Tuesday, June 16. The vote separates Wareham from several Massachusetts...

Thrift store set to open at old Seakers site

Inside USED

The old Seakers building in East Wareham is getting new life from old clothing as lifelong thrifter Anna Nathan looks to open her secondhand clothing store USED. The store, which Nathan expects to open before August, is set to occupy the shuttered...

Drug abuse treatment center on Indian Neck Road will open next month

Gosnold front

Substance abuse treatment center Gosnold Behavioral Health is moving to Wareham from Falmouth and opening its doors starting Wednesday, July 1. The 96-bed facility will occupy the former Forestview Nursing Home building at 50 Indian Neck Road and...

Grab a snack bag this summer at Damien's Food Pantry

Damien's Food Pantry is offering free snack bags on Fridays at Damien's Place this summer through Friday, August 28. According to Damien's, each bag is filled with snacks and "fun surprises." Families can collect snack bags every Friday from 7...

Car knocks out Onset Village sign

Onset Village sign car

A car crash wiped out the Onset Village sign at the intersection of Maine Avenue and East Central Avenue midday on Friday, June 12. In photos provided to Wareham Week, a black SUV is seen driven up onto the hill where the sign was. Wareham Police...

Free breakfast and lunch available to children this summer

Adobe Stock Bag Lunch photo

Children and teenagers 18-years-old and younger can get free breakfast and lunch through Wareham's summer food program from Wednesday, July 1 through Thursday, August 6. Meals will be available Monday through Thursday each week at the front entrance...

Eversource opens training and storm response center in old movie theater space

Crews training

In a space once filled with the crinkling sounds of popcorn and humming swoosh of soda machines, Eversource officials cut the ribbon to the electric utility company’s training and storm response center on Monday, June 15. The 39 Doty St. property in...

Pee-cycling: Residents learn how to use urine in their gardens

Cubies

From vegetable scraps to coffee grounds to eggshells, plant growers have long experimented with unconventional fertilizers. During a talk at the Wareham Free Library on Tuesday, June 9, residents learned a new way to enrich their gardens with a...

Combatting tardiness: South Coast schools use data, relationships to increase student attendance

Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino holds a sign reminding students to get to class before the morning bell. Photo by Grace Roche

For Wareham High School students, the sight of Principal Scott Palladino standing in the parking lot in the morning is a common sight. He bears a sign encouraging students to “Beat the Bell” as they stream in on their way to their classrooms. t’s...

From 13 stars to 50: Elks lodge Flag Day celebration spotlights evolution of the red, white and blue

Flags carried

Wareham residents got a glimpse of the history of the American flag at the Wareham-New Bedford Elks Lodge's annual Flag Day ceremony on Saturday, June 6. During the Flag Day gathering, residents watched as Massachusetts Maritime Academy cadets...

Wareham students rank in top 10 at Upper Cape

Mary King

Two Wareham students placed in the top 10 graduating students at Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School this year. Carpentry program student Mary King was No. 5 in the Upper Cape graduating class this year. As a high school student, she was a...

Wareham Middle School honors May students of the month

Wareham Students of the Month

As the end of the school year nears, Wareham Middle School announced its students of the month for May. Fifth grader Addison Butts was celebrated by teachers for her responsibility and respectfulness. "Addison always puts forth her best effort in...

Four Wareham students win scholarship awards

Sianna Sanford

Four Wareham students received scholarships through the SouthCoast Community Foundation, which awarded more than $900,000 in scholarships to 124 students this year. Jenna DeMedeiros, a senior at Sturgis West Charter Public High School, received the...

Swim, bike, run, live! Athletes take on annual Harvest Triathlon

none

From the pond to the cranberry bogs, athletes from around the country headed to AD Makepeace Farms to take on a sprint or olympic distance triathlon on Sunday, June 7. The farm and Max Performance, a New England-based triathlon organization hosted...

As the sun set, students end their high school chapter

The graduates tossing their caps in the air. Photos by Kat Sheridan

On Friday, June 5, 107 students received their diplomas while family and friends cheered, held posters and used air horns to celebrate their accomplishments. “This celebration is the beginning of many things for all of you, but mostly it is the...

Fiber grant to help Wareham stay connected

Town Hall. File photo

The town will receive $250,000 through the Municipal Fiber Grant Program to expand its existing municipal fiber optic infrastructure. The funding is part of $10.1 million in grants awarded to 52 Massachusetts municipalities through the Community...

Wareham finance director receives statewide school business award

Kristin Flynn. Photo source: MASBO

Kristin Flynn, director of finance for Wareham Public Schools, has received the 2026 Friend of MASBO Award from the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials. Flynn was honored during the association’s 60th Annual Institute in...

Developer gets an apology from Redevelopment Authority

Buildings at the former Tremont Nail Factory complex, where redevelopment plans have stalled. Photos by Brandy Muz

Still in business, Rhode Island-based Bentley Companies has received a public apology after town officials incorrectly stated the company had dissolved and cited that as the reason for terminating its agreement to redevelop the historic Tremont...

New ride share pilot aims to ease Onset parking perils

Circuit car in San Diego. Photos source: Circuit

A free, on-demand electric ride service will launch in Onset this summer as the town looks to ease parking shortages, reduce traffic congestion and improve transportation options during the busy tourism season. The Circuit Ride Share pilot program...

Teamwork makes the cleanup work

Bin there, done that! Participants clean up. Photos source: Joey Still

The Wareham Land Trust, in collaboration with Don’t Trash Wareham and Keep Wareham Beautiful, hosted a community cleanup at Follo-Beecher Forest in West Wareham on Saturday, May 30. The cleanup took place from noon to 2 p.m. at the conservation...

Elks recognize top cadet

Randolph was pinned by her parents during the ceremony.

The Wareham Elks Lodge awarded Wareham High School junior Alex Randolph the Elks Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps award on Thursday, May 28. Chairman of the Elks Veterans Committee Jim Callan and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matt Stanton...

A fin-tastic fishing derby at Tihonet Pond

John Murphy, left, and Lily Alexander, right with a fish. Photos by Nick Mossman

Many fishermen of all ages and experience levels scattered around the shores of Tihonet Pond to cast their lines and get the heaviest catch Sunday, May 31. The derby was hosted by the Wankinquoah Rod and Gun Club, which, according to Charlie...

Wareham man sentenced to 8 years in federal prison in murder-for-hire witness plot

U.S Department of Justice. File photo

A Wareham man who admitted to participating in a murder-for-hire conspiracy that targeted a federal witness has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison Thursday, May 28. Kareem Pires, 27, was sentenced after pleading guilty in February to...

Wareham man sentenced in child sexual abuse charges

FBI responding in 2025. File photo

A Wareham man who admitted to receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison, authorities announced. Brandon Bendall, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 90...

‘A sign of our patriotism’: Elks lodge will celebrate the American flag on June 6

The American Flag outside of Town Hall. Photo by Brandy Muz

The Wareham-New Bedford Elks lodge will host its annual Flag Day ceremony on Saturday, June 6 at 11 a.m. at 2855 Cranberry Highway, celebrating the history of the American flag. During the ceremony, the Wareham Fire Department will hoist a garrison...

Wareham officials cite safety concerns in nuisance dog case

Animal Control Officer Kelly Jarabek has responded to multiple calls concerning Denise Gottwald's dogs. Photo by Brandy Muz

Three East Wareham dogs now classified as nuisance dogs following complaints from neighbors and testimony from animal control officials The Wareham Select Board voted Tuesday, May 26, to designate three dogs owned by Denise Gottwald as nuisance...

Get in loser, we’re going to see Mean Girls at Wareham High School

Abigail Balano, left, puts a wig on Lilyan Medina, who plays Cady Heron. Photos by Nick Mossman

It's time to meet the plastics as Wareham High School students prepare a spring production of “Mean Girls” that’s sure to be “so fetch.” The Wareham Viking Theater Company will present the show at 6 p.m. Friday, May 29, 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 30,...