The role of district attorney is crucially important in our civil society. It offers a unique opportunity to protect citizens, help people when they need it most, and build a […]
Op-Eds
COUNTY LINE
Remembering Susan Quinones
An advocate for human rights who inspired by listening
Cape Cod lost a powerful leader last week, and I lost a dear friend and colleague. Susan L. Quinones, Esq., who was coordinator for the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory […]
RIGHTS
Beyond Curb Cuts and Ramps
Fostering disability-affirming communities on the Outer Cape
The March 17 edition of the Independent had an important story about the Americans with Disabilities Act, “On the Outer Cape, the ADA Doesn’t Change Much,” by Michaela Chesin. Many […]
REFUGE
Children’s Worries About War
In Poland, a mother explains the politics of aggression
Many of my friends in Poland have families from Ukraine in their homes now. One friend, Marta Shaw, a philologist at the Institute of Public Affairs at the Jagiellonian University […]
COUNTY LINE
A Debate on Citizen Petitions
How many signatures should be required?
Basic issues of democratic process sometimes arise in the most apparently mundane proceedings. The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates recently held a hearing on an ordinance proposed by the Cape […]
WAR AND COVID
Thinking Clearly About Brain Fog
Person-to-person contact burns off the mist
A friend told me the other day that she doesn’t know if it’s post-Covid brain fog she’s suffering from, or if it’s undiagnosed Lyme disease or some other sinister condition […]
ON POLITICS
The Death of Democracy and Capitalism
We live in a system that no longer serves citizens’ needs
Our two most significant institutions, democracy and capitalism, exist today in name only. Our political system has abandoned us, and our economic system has consumed us. Politics and social media […]
COUNTY LINE
Dividing the ARPA Millions
Helping neighbors who are having a hard time is a priority
Forty-two million dollars sounds like a pile of money. Until it gets divided up. Across the Cape this month, the glint of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds has […]
SPECIAL DELIVERY
Suggestions From a Mail Enthusiast
She wants you to raise those little flags on your mailbox
I love my job. I get to deliver mail to people in the town where I live in all its splendor, all year round. The summer traffic is intense, and […]
COUNTY LINE
Stuck in Virtual Reality
Learning, reluctantly, to work together remotely
I’m a meeting guy. I have always been motivated to get together in a room with others and work to find collaborative solutions to the issues of the day. Serving […]
DOWN THE LINE
Am I a Surfer?
Fear, brain freeze, and the joy of the ride
I surf, but I hesitate to call myself a surfer. I have a complicated relationship with the sport — I love it, and I am terrified by it. It’s been […]
OP-ED
Happy New Year 2522
Hello, hello to 2522 from the year 2022. We have a saying: “How’s by you?” It’s a Jewish phrase that I like. How are you seeing the world these days? […]
OP-ED
Telemedicine Means Better Access to Early, Safe Abortions
The FDA abandons a bogus ‘safety’ rule restricting mifepristone
For people living on Outer Cape Cod, the nearest abortion clinics are at least two hours away. That means a trip will likely require time off from work or school […]
TOWN HALL PASS
Wellfleet Needs to Intercept Passing of the Buck
A veteran of audits reflects on the difficulty of calling fouls on friends
The auditors’ 2020 management letter to Wellfleet town officials raised more questions than it answered. Auditors Powers & Sullivan of Wakefield headlined the letter “Material Weakness.” In summary, it indicated […]
COUNTY LINE
Public Health and Medicare for All
The full spectrum of preventive care should be available to everyone
One of the clearest lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic is that, for society as a whole to be healthy, everyone needs access to health care. Untested and untreated people in […]
