Editor:

While I applaud a previous letter writer’s position that affordable housing is a natural right, the issues around the Queen Anne Road site are not as simple as affordable housing vs. traffic concerns. The considerations that should go into selecting an appropriate location for affordable housing are not so black and white that the need automatically creates a presumption of appropriateness regardless of location. 

The Catholic Church’s social justice teachings address many of today’s most vexing social justice issues ranging from poverty to the environment and global warming. The writer is eager to help solve the critical issue of affordable housing by supporting the Queen Anne Road project. The proposed project is in an environmentally sensitive area of the headwaters of the Herring River. The reasoning in support of the development suggests it was made without fully considering this point which is relevant to the appropriateness of the location. Perhaps he considered this and concluded that affordable housing is the higher priority. His stated position citing other reasons suggests not. We should ask ourselves if it is appropriate to disturb an environmentally sensitive parcel of land to address a need when suitable parcels of previously developed land exist and are available. 

I respect the writer’s right to hold and express his opinion. I hope for the sake of the validity of his own position, he has given full and fair consideration to all the relevant issues before suggesting those who oppose the project are elitists or racist when they may have considered a broader, more expansive, and more informed criteria on which they have based their opinion. 

Bill Riley
Harwich Center

Editor:

Cape Cod Community Rowing, Inc. held its annual Cranberry Sprints Regatta on Saturday, Aug. 16. Youth and adult rowers, ranging in age from 12 to 86, came from several states to participate in single and multi-person boat races on Long Pond in Harwich. In addition to sprint and stake races, this year featured “beach sprints,” combining running and rowing, a new Olympic category.

Huge thanks go to the town of Harwich, rowers, and volunteers who made the event a success. We are so grateful to the many local businesses and generous friends for sponsoring the regatta, including: Cape Cod 5, Cape Cod Celebrations, Cape Cod Creamery, Cape Cod Paper Company, Chatham Works, Christie's Atlantic Brokerage, Crowell & Donovan Law, LLC, Elevated Impressions, Guthrie Schofield Group, Harvard Waves Crew Team, Jake Rooney's, Marathon Sports, Pizza Shark, SBS One Source, Stove Place II, The Chatham Squire, and The Seal Pub and Café.

Susan Sajer
Harwich

Editor:

They will be coming in wheelchairs, with walkers, or canes but they will be coming. Members of the Orleans High School Alumni, classes from 1952 to 1962, will soon be attending an “all-class reunion.” All of them are in their 80s or 90s.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Nauset Regional School Committee, they will be gathering at their old alma mater (now the Nauset Regional Middle School) on Sept. 13.

There are currently 82 alumni (with some plus ones) committed

to attend. These people, children of World War II veterans, all have a bird’s eye view of community evolution since the end of that war. There is no wealth here, at least of the financial kind. Many are able to attend because of generous donors.

History has forgotten small high schools like Orleans High School, but in this case, thanks to Barbara Neese Fulcher (Class of 1962) and her committee, its legacy lives on. Go Cardinals!

Pete Norgeot (Class of 1958)
Orleans

Editor:

I would like to thank the Chatham Fire Department for its wonderful, professional, respectful and compassionate care shown to my late husband John T. Dockrey and our entire family over the last six awful weeks.

Five visits, five separate crews, each one a true blessing. Thank you. 

Edith Dockrey
South Chatham

Editor:

Once again, I write about those attractive bamboo-like canes with dense green leaves and creamy tassel flowers, which are all around town, notably at the Chatham town “dump” and the DPW, and along Route 28 opposite Heritage Lane. This is Japanese knotweed, which can completely overwhelm gardens and native plants establishing a monoculture which denies support for native birds and bees, and is one threat to Governor Healey’s recently announced biodiversity initiative.

We should all learn to recognize this alien invasive, and we all have a duty to counter its spread by eradicating it on both private and public land. Since the tiniest piece (less than half an inch) can regrow into a full-sized plant, dedicated bins are required for knotweed “hazardous” waste at town and private dumps, or residents should sun-bake their own waste in black plastic bags. Informational signage is required at the dumps and a fine to discourage illegal disposal and potential contamination of the mulch supply.

Japanese knotweed can be very difficult to eradicate, especially the even more aggressive hybrid, bohemian knotweed, which also has seeds. The use of acetic acid/vinegar has been tried, but is not effective in killing the rhizomes, which re-sprout. To my knowledge the only effective single eradication method is to use an injector from JK Injection Systems and to inject 5mls of concentrated herbicide, such as imazapyr or glyphosate, into each hollow cane above the second node in early fall, ideally by a licensed professional. A less attractive but viable method is to use cut-and-fill. I emphasize that injection is not a foliar treatment, so there is no exposure to the herbicide, which is drawn down into the rhizomes, if done in early fall, and kills them. Therefore this treatment, though tedious, is only needed once as was demonstrated on approximately 200 canes two years ago in Chatham with 100 percent success.

Michael Tompsett
Chatham

Editor:

Mr. Ortolani alleges in his lawsuit that the Community of Jesus subjected him to forced labor and trafficking during its construction of the Brewster Performing Arts Center. If these allegations are true, Mr. Ortolani deserves sympathy, justice and compensation.

However, The Chronicle’s article raises more questions than it answers. First, if Mr. Ortolani’s claims are as serious as alleged, why is this a civil case, rather than a criminal case? Second, why have neither the U.S. Department of Labor or the Massachusetts Attorney General prosecuted this case? Third, given Mr. Ortolani’s apparent chronic truancy, why didn’t school administrators and the local police department investigate? And finally, why have no other alleged victims come forward?

I’m hopeful we’ll soon see investigations by federal, state and local authorities into this matter so the facts of this case will come to light.

Paul Baudisch
Harwich Port

Editor:

I am writing to sincerely thank you for awarding me the Brewster Memorial Scholarship. I am honored to be a recipient of this scholarship. I appreciate your kindness and generosity immensely.

This scholarship helps me in so many ways as I continue my academic journey at Endicott College. It eases the financial burden and allows me to focus more on my studies and future goals. I am committed to working hard and giving back to my community, inspired by the generosity and kindness your committee has shown me.

Thank you so much for the support.

Taylor Beer
Brewster

Editor:

Thanks to Article 55 created by Seth Taylor and passed at town meeting, Chatham has a taxation aid fund. With this fund Chatham becomes a town that functions as a community which helps its citizens in their time of need.

More and more it’s important to attend town meeting and vote to make a better Chatham.

Carol Gordon
South Chatham