Encouraging kids to develop a love for books and reading is the job of every adult. The simplest way is by setting an example. Unfortunately, some adults couldn't be bothered, such as our sitting president, who has been famously quoted as saying that he doesn't have the time to read books. That's the sort of excuse a middle school student makes. Somehow, his predecessor found the time to not only read books, but ...

Many Reasons For Plastic Bag Ban Editor: I would like to respectfully respond to Mr. Summers' recent concerns (and one of yours) about Chatham's single-use plastic bag ban which began the first of this year. I'll try to be brief and go point by point: 1) Using heavier plastic bags is not "skirting," but rather complying with the regulation: "Single use plastic bags for the purpose of this regulatio...

Once again, there will be no skydiving in Chatham this summer. Some residents will no doubt greet that news with cheers. Others will see it as giving in to “not in my backyard” pressure. Most will see little or no impact to their own lives and will move on with a shrug. Yet there is a lesson here that residents, and especially the town's business community, should heed. It's been more than three years since...

Cloth Is The Way To Go Editor: In light of the recent letters to the editor concerning shopping bags, this subscriber's suggestion is to use neither paper nor plastic.  Personally, when I do the grocery shopping, I use cloth bags with handles.  Some are even given away as advertising incentives.  These may be purchased at most (if not all ) grocery stores and easily re-used time and time again.  Perhaps The...

Away out here they have a name For rain and wind and fire The rain is Tess The fire’s Joe And they call the wind Maria   Outdoors, the wind is blowing a gale. On my walk today, I had to lean into the wind to keep moving. Of course, my way was made easier by the knowledge that, on the way back, I would be blown home. As I walked along, I started humming, and then singing, an old song. ...

Historically, the entrance to Chatham Harbor – and the infamous “Chatham Bar” that must be crossed to access the entrance – has shifted back and forth from relatively benign to downright dangerous. Right now it's in the dangerous phase, not atypical for the fall and winter months, although this iteration is more hazardous than usual due to numerous factors, including the channel pushing hard against the outer sho...

Plastic Bag Ban Not A Hit Editor: I read your passionate reporting on how some food markets were skirting the law by using heavier plastic bags instead of paper bags. I once again am wondering why this regulation was promulgated in the first place. After watching one woman picking up groceries after a paper bag broke I spoke with many cashiers and the manager who confirm that consumers universally dislik...

Everything looked exactly as it did this morning as it did yesterday. Brilliant blue sky. Yard draped in a cold, white blanket. Bracing, bone-dry wind from the west-northwest, swirling will-o-wisps of dusty snow that caught the twinkles of sun. In the teens, below zero in the stiff breeze, but the red oak in the stove kept the house cozy warm. My watch reading 7:30 a.m., and the dogs were not yet stirring beca...

Given all that's going on in Washington, now is the wrong time for Monomoy Regional High School to consider dropping its government studies requirement. No matter how you feel about the current administration, there's no denying that the issues being raised by its actions demand a citizenry with a deep knowledge of how our government works. The best way to arm future generations with that information is through t...

Continued Development Not Benefiting Chatham Editor: Recently I wrote a letter to honor the elders of Chatham. I did so to set a bench mark because through attrition the community of Chatham is vanishing. This is self-evident. For some time Chatham’s mantra has been Main Street above all else. “Living the dream” of the entitlement brand Chatham, transforming what was once Main Street, Hometown USA to an ...

Everybody needs a pantry. Not today’s kitchen designer pantry-in-a-box cabinet, but the kind I played in as a child, like the ones our grandmothers had in their old houses. Those spaces were made for kids; dark secret spaces, close to the household action, but where tiny people could hide away, unnoticed, and play for hours, which, of course, is just what I did. Some pantries were little more than glorifi...

AOC Empowers Local Youth Editor: Each year, fifth grade students at Monomoy Regional Middle School immerse themselves in reading and writing poetry. The process includes creating original art which is an integral part of the poetry itself. Thanks to the hard work and generosity of The Art of Charity, this year students will also have a much-needed electronic tablet which will help them share their...