The Hospital Affair
To the editor:
Your clear and readable coverage of the rancor and legal battles at Cape Cod Hospital (“Doctor Sues Cape Cod Hospital,” Dec. 15, front page) deserves praise and the appreciation of your readers.
Such affairs in the ink of other newspapers can be confusing and unworthy of readers’ time and attention. The Indie’s approach made it clear what occurred between the only local hospital and their heretofore chief of heart care, and how that battle affects those who make up the majority of their managed care — and I use that term loosely — patients who depend on the hospital to administer resources in an equitable, blind-to-reimbursement manner.
It is this high level of reportage on this and so many other issues that supports the New England Newspaper and Press Association’s award of Newspaper of the Year to the Independent. As a former reporter turned registered nurse, I can appreciate the association’s choice.
I’d suggest that you give your staff a day off, but there’s news out there to research and write; deadlines come fast!
Thom Schwarz
Wellfleet
Tacks on the Trails
To the editor:
On Oct. 29, I was biking with a group of friends along the National Seashore trails deep in the woods off Collins Road in Truro, as I have done for more than 25 years. We encountered several tacks that had been placed on the trail, seemingly to cause flats in off-road bicyclists’ tires.
As we repaired our tires, we couldn’t help but speculate on why we might have been targeted. The tacks were impressive. Our group found at least five in our bike tires, all resulting in flats. Were they intended for cyclists or for trail walkers and runners who might get a tack in the foot?
We were discouraged and saddened. The Outer Cape’s woods are lightly traveled and offer enjoyment for all who seek tranquility and solitude, encounters with wildlife, and the amazing light that varies season to season. We are happy knowing that these woods will remain in a natural state in perpetuity because of the National Seashore. Please don’t leave tacks on the trails.
Joe Cavicchi
Truro and Arlington
Deserted Restaurants
To the editor:
I am a longtime resident of Wellfleet, and our select boards always insisted on a restaurant remaining open during the winter months. The Bookstore and the Wicked Oyster alternated times when one was closed for “cleaning” while the other stayed open.
This should be a priority for our board. It always was.
Priscilla Jenkins
Wellfleet
More Cookbook Joy
To the editor:
I enjoyed “The Joy of Cookbooks” in the Dec. 8 issue [page B1] and would like to suggest another delightful book, Peter Hunt’s Cape Cod Cookbook, originally published in 1954. Hunt, a charming and witty host, was encouraged to collect the recipes that guests had enjoyed at his table and supplement them with recipes from Cape Cod friends and cooks. Like Howard Mitcham, Hunt also illustrated his book, with whimsical peasant motifs that defined his folk art.
Born Frederick Lowe Schnitzer in Jersey City in 1896, Hunt came to Provincetown in the early 1920s and found a “little village of workers.” People made what they needed, he noted, “soap, hooked rugs, jams, jellies, quilts, curious carvings, inlaid tables.” He said that the happiest people he knew were those who made things with their hands.
Hunt loved Christmas, saying that it was “the best time of the year to make things. Nothing is too small, nothing too large, nothing impossible. Old customs are revived, new ones originated. Old songs must be sung, new ones written. Old friends must be greeted — the new ones, too. Everything must be stopped so a note or a beautiful card or a happy present can be sent to every friend who is away from you. Plain paper isn’t worthy on this day — it must be bright and glittering.”
In Provincetown, where fishermen trimmed their trees in the Azorean tradition “entirely with strings of shells from the beaches,” Peter Hunt created his own glittering version of a warm, peaceful Christmas, filling his shop with stars and snowflakes, hollies and mistletoes, sleighs, angels, gingerbread boys and girls, candy canes, and plum puddings. Of his Christmas tree gingerbreads, he said not to bother with those “bought” cookie cutters. Cut your own designs and let your imagination run wild.
Amy Whorf McGuiggan
Hingham
A Gem of a Writer
To the editor:
I write to tell you how much I enjoy reading the Independent. It is far superior to all the other local newspapers, and I am so happy you exist.
I particularly enjoy reading Amy Whorf McGuiggan’s articles and hope you realize what a gem you have there. She is simply a great writer and spins so many fantastic stories of Provincetown’s rich history.
Thank you for being present for all of us on Cape Cod.
Joel Chaison
Yarmouth Port
