Gov. Deval Patrick has signed Senate Bill 2163, which will grant a state certification waiver for the Wareham Free Library for the rest of 2010.
    The town had faced decertification for this year because last spring the library wasn’t open the minimum 40 hours per week that the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners require for state certification. Special legislation was filed by Sen. Mark Pacheco (D-Taunton) with the strong encouragement of selectmen Jane Donahue and Brenda Eckstrom. A temporary waiver was granted while the legislation was pending.
    "This is fabulous," said Bruce Sauvageau, chairman of the board. "Who says we don’t care about our library?"
    The issue of library hours became a political hot potato last spring. Eckstrom questioned why the doors of the library could not be opened 40 hours a week, noting that some unionized library employees were being paid full time while the library itself was only open 30 hours per week.
    Eckstrom also wondered why the library couldn’t utilize volunteers to bridge the decrease in hours, which was prompted by budget cuts.
    The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners came under heavy criticism from officials in several communities who complained that the MBLC’s strict standards for certification were not realistic given cuts in state aid towns were facing.
    If the town had lost its certification it would have been unable to participate in the SAILS book loaning program between certified libraries. It would also have been unable to apply for $28,000 in state aid.
    That loss, however, would have been negated by the approximately $28,000 the town spends each year to be a member of the SAILS program.

     All the Shamrocks in the world couldn’t provide enough luck to beat the Wareham High Vikings on Wednesday night.
    The Wareham train kept rolling in Taunton during the semifinals of the Division 3 South Section tournament, knocking off pesky Bishop Feehan, 79-65.
    Next stop top-ranked Cardinal Spellman on Saturday at noon at UMass-Boston.
    This one wasn’t easy, though. The Vikings led by just two points, 39-37 at halftime after taking an early 26-16 lead. Wareham actually trailed, 37-35 with less than a minute before halftime before four quick points put them ahead.
    The Shamrocks showed little sign of wilting after the break, taking a 46-45 lead with just under four minutes left in the third quarter. But Wareham went on a 5-0 run and never relinquished the lead again.
    Ryan Pina scored a team-high 21 points for the Vikings. Jordan Rezendes chipped in with 16. Pat Murphy added 15.
    Bishop Feehan could not match Wareham’s running game, but the Shamrocks kept it close by hitting 22 of 25 free throws for the game.
    Bishop Feehan senior Ryan Sheehan scored his 1,000th career point during the game, earning a nice ovation from both benches.