On Naming Names
To the editor:
After reading the letter from the editor in last week’s issue [“The Bloody Facts,” page A2], I understand why you included several articles about crimes in our communities and where you believe our police and judicial system are lacking. I understand why you shared the history of an abusive 10-year relationship between two people hiding behind marital privilege [“A Decade-long Pattern of Abuse Continues,” Oct. 8, page A4]. I understand and appreciate your investigative reporting into things that have previously been left unreported.
The one thing I just can’t understand is printing the names of the couple. This was completely unnecessary regarding the intention of the article. The whole story could have been told without using names. Now two people who live in a very small community have had their private relationship exposed for all their neighbors to read. It has led to much gossiping and, I’m sure, shame for those involved.
I love the mission of the Independent and appreciate your new insight into the news on the Lower Cape, and I hope you will consider my opinion.
Katie Ledoux
Provincetown
Hair: A Great Topic
To the editor:
Dennis Minsky’s “Almost Cut My Hair” [Oct. 8] was a much needed breath of fresh air. The article was on page 3, and I haven’t progressed any further into the paper. I had to write you immediately to tell you how much I enjoyed it. It was a pleasure to read an article that did not talk about the current state of affairs.
Hair is a great topic, and, off the top of my head, I’d say it’s a cut above the rest as far as humor goes. Thank you, Dennis.
Sheila Garry
Eastham
Foot-dragging on Beacon Hill
To the editor:
Why is our state legislature dragging its feet on two important immigration bills?
Both the Driver’s License Bill (DL) and Safe Communities Act (SCA) have languished for years on Beacon Hill. As Sophie Ruehr reported in the April 16 Independent, “Rallying support for immigrants is proving difficult.”
During a pandemic that puts public transport and carpool riders at risk, unlicensed drivers who’ve not undergone rules and road tests drive in fear that a minor infraction will prompt their arrest and possible deportation. The Driver’s License Bill (the Work and Family Mobility Act) would allow the 250,000 Mass. residents who lack legal status to obtain a Mass. driver’s license.
Among other human rights protections, the SCA would prohibit Immigration and Customs Enforcement from deputizing state and local law-enforcement officers (at state expense) and local sheriffs from enforcing warrantless detainers against prisoners awaiting release.
The Cape Cod Coalition for Safe Communities and many other NGOs and legislators have endorsed both bills. To their credit, the Outer Cape’s Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Sarah Peake are DL and SCA co-sponsors.
Now it’s time for House Speaker DeLeo to allow passage of both immigration bills.
Michael Hager
Eastham
The writer is a member of the Cape Cod Coalition for Safe Communities.
The County Commissioner Race
To the editor:
Mark Forest and Sheila Lyons are the only qualified candidates for the two open seats on the board of county commissioners. They both are deeply invested in our Cape Cod communities and have experience to lead us through these challenging times. Their contributions include work on climate change, clean water, health care, affordable housing, and business.
In contrast, the incumbent Ronald Beaty, who is also running, fashions himself as “the Donald Trump of Cape Cod.” The other candidate on the ballot, Abraham Kasparian, has an unfortunate history.
Mark Forest is currently a Yarmouth selectman and teaches American government and international relations at Cape Cod Community College. He has both public service and finance experience. He facilitated acquiring funding for projects ranging from cleaning up pollution at the Mass. Military Reservation to bringing OpenCape broadband to the Cape.
Sheila Lyons currently works at Outer Cape Health Services, where she helps clients with health insurance issues. She has previously been a county commissioner for two terms, as well as the Wellfleet representative to the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates.
I urge you to vote for these two candidates, who together will advance our social, economic, and environmental needs in this critical time.
Elizabeth Higgins-Steele
Truro
Goose Poop Revisited
To the editor:
The subtitle of your Oct. 8 article on Canada geese [page A8] declared that they “have limited effect on pond water.” A Cape Cod National Seashore aquatic ecologist told the Independent that “while it is possible that droppings contribute to the nitrogen level in ponds, wastewater and fertilizers are the main contributors to the overall nitrogen load.”
Several scientific studies performed at various world sites, however, provide a counterpoint:
“Geese increased the nutrient loading rates in some wetland ponds by up to 40 percent for total nitrogen and 75 percent for total phosphorus.” —from a study in Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.
“From 1 February to 27 March 2001, snow geese contributed 85–93 percent of the phosphorus and 33–44 percent of the nitrogen loaded to the reservoir.” —from a study of a reservoir in southeastern Pennsylvania.
“Compared with the annual phosphorus import from different sources, the contribution by nordic geese was 88 percent in 1996 and 92 percent in 1997.” —from a study of Lake Arendsee in northern Germany.
“Recently, a growing population of waterfowl (mostly Canada goose, Branta canadensis) were the highest contributors of nutrients (75 percent), as indicated by a mass balance based on literature derived goose P [phosphorus] export and biweekly bird census.” —from a study of Swan Lake in Toronto, Canada.
A study at Lake Waban in Mass. showed the importance of climate in assessing the impact of goose feces in eutrophication: “In fall 1994, the watershed supplied 18 times more TP [total phosphorus] than Canada geese, but during the fall drought of 1995, TP from Canada geese exceeded that from the watershed by more than 7 times.”
Unless a focused scientific study shows otherwise, we should consider geese to be a significant contributor of nutrients to Cape Cod ponds.
Ronald A. Gabel, M.D.
Yarmouth Port