Everyone must be thinking about the things they will miss this year on Thanksgiving. At our house, it’s a weekend-long gathering of old friends who come here from the city […]
Editorials
EDITORIAL
A Thick Skin Isn’t Enough
What are the most important attributes to look for in a potential town manager or administrator? Judging from the comments (and reluctance to comment) of recent occupants of those positions […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Get the Story Right
One thing last week’s election revealed is how fond we are of the stories we want to believe. How else to explain the fact that so many voters believe that […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Where the Power Lies
One of our correspondents this week, Michael Spielman, was provoked by my last column to unleash his own set of language beefs, which have him screaming at his TV, he […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Concerning That Word
I’m concerned about the word concerning. Not worried, really; just concerned. People keep using that word, and, as Mandy Patinkin said in The Princess Bride, I do not think it […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Newspapers and Democracy
On Monday the New York Times published a front-page article about “a fast-growing network of nearly 1,300 websites that aim to fill a void left by vanishing local newspapers across […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Policing People’s Words
It was just about a year ago that I suggested that readers of the Independent observe “Writing Thursday,” because we wanted to get more letters to the editor. Sure enough, […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The Bloody Facts
“If it bleeds, it leads” is an old saw in the news business. Stories of crime and violence sell, and in newsrooms driven by competition for viewers and readers, the […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The Meetings Are Adjourned, for Now
Now that all four of the Outer Cape towns have held their annual town meetings, gathering outdoors on athletic fields and in a parking lot, maintaining safe distancing and observing […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
A Lot of Life Left
Things go wrong sometimes. That’s always of interest to reporters and editors. We’re tuned to ask what happened and tell the story of how things came apart. It’s good to […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
A Meeting to Remember
Wellfleet was the first of the Outer Cape towns to conduct its long-delayed annual town meeting this past Saturday, and as Provincetown, Truro, and Eastham have also chosen, it was […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The Globe Gets It Wrong
The Boston Globe published a disturbing piece this week about the experiences of urbanites going on vacation in rural New England this summer. It was titled “Dirty looks, threats, and […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
One Year and Counting
I received a nice note this evening from Sadie Hutchings, the Provincetown veterinarian (and our new “Animal Clinic” columnist). “I think you guys must have just had a birthday for […]
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
She’s Not Backing Down
At least three Outer Cape residents who chose to make a statement about racial justice have found their front yard “Black Lives Matter” signs stolen or defaced (see story on […]
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK
Covering Schools Can Make You Batty
On Aug. 6, when the Nauset Regional School Committee met with all four elementary school committees in the district, nearly 100 people were on the Zoom meeting. That’s the size […]
